2019 Lawn Thread

[Five Seasons]

just did mine last night. It seems like every year there is something with my mower battery though. So last season the solenoid went bad in the fall and I got through the last 2 mows of the season by bypassing and jumping it. Over the winter I replaced the solenoid and the battery cables that have seen better days. I bought another battery tender and hooked her up. I'll be dammed, this season was going to start out right. I grab the battery off the tender which had still developed some decent corrosion on the positive terminal. I don't know why my mower battery does this and my car and motorcycle batteries don't.

Anyhow, I cleaned it up with a wire brush and battery cleaner and hooked her up and filled up the tires. Nothing. Not even a buzz. mother f'r. check all the connections. cleaned off the terminals even battery, check voltages and all good. Try to jump it. Not even a click, so i know something is loose downstream. Maybe, despite careful research I bought the wrong solenoid. I try to bypass it because it's now 6:30 and I'm hungry and the sun is starting to set. She cranks but wont turn over. wtf... recheck all connections and find that there is this wire that splits off that goes from the positive to some unit somewhere. The harness to this small wire has one of those click in place plastic connections and it was loose. Secure the wire and she's golden... except i had drained the battery trying to bypass the solenoid. push it over to the truck and jump her and we're off and mowing. Super annoyed that i wasted all that time for something so little and dumb, but also happy it wasn't something expensive. 

the beer and admiration of the first mow was excellent and also reminded me that I am truly a dad at this point in my life. I think the worst part of this nonsense is that little cord has caused me grief before when I tried one of those generic battery cables, and why i special ordered a new one. I figured it went to the lights or something and it didn't matter, but I learned that it did and should have known better, but it was connected, I just couldn't see that it was loose. All i can think is that it goes to a safety switch or something. Thanks Husqvarna. 

Thanks for letting me vent even if nobody read this. I feel better

[Moho81]

just did mine last night. It seems like every year there is something with my mower battery though. So last season the solenoid went bad in the fall and I got through the last 2 mows of the season by bypassing and jumping it. Over the winter I replaced the solenoid and the battery cables that have seen better days. I bought another battery tender and hooked her up. I'll be dammed, this season was going to start out right. I grab the battery off the tender which had still developed some decent corrosion on the positive terminal. I don't know why my mower battery does this and my car and motorcycle batteries don't.
Anyhow, I cleaned it up with a wire brush and battery cleaner and hooked her up and filled up the tires. Nothing. Not even a buzz. mother f'r. check all the connections. cleaned off the terminals even battery, check voltages and all good. Try to jump it. Not even a click, so i know something is loose downstream. Maybe, despite careful research I bought the wrong solenoid. I try to bypass it because it's now 6:30 and I'm hungry and the sun is starting to set. She cranks but wont turn over. wtf... recheck all connections and find that there is this wire that splits off that goes from the positive to some unit somewhere. The harness to this small wire has one of those click in place plastic connections and it was loose. Secure the wire and she's golden... except i had drained the battery trying to bypass the solenoid. push it over to the truck and jump her and we're off and mowing. Super annoyed that i wasted all that time for something so little and dumb, but also happy it wasn't something expensive. 
the beer and admiration of the first mow was excellent and also reminded me that I am truly a dad at this point in my life. I think the worst part of this nonsense is that little cord has caused me grief before when I tried one of those generic battery cables, and why i special ordered a new one. I figured it went to the lights or something and it didn't matter, but I learned that it did and should have known better, but it was connected, I just couldn't see that it was loose. All i can think is that it goes to a safety switch or something. Thanks Husqvarna. 
Thanks for letting me vent even if nobody read this. I feel better

I would have pushed the mower to the middle of the driveway and lit it on fire!


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[LET EM GROW]

Cant wait to get on the zero turn and cut it up.. Since i taught my step son how to operate it, and actually cut a lawn to make it look good. Its a fight for who cuts the lawn. Lol. 

[crappyice]

Weed killer applied!


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[Fletch]

Mowing the lawn is not anywhere near my wish i could do more of list!! My lawn has a great mix of thousands of kinds of clover, weeds, flowers and some grasses. It looks real pretty when millions of dandelions are in bloom!!

 

Its hilly, bumpy, mole infested and I don't rake leaves either. Run em over with the mower, moles and leaves. It takes me 1.5-2 hours on the zero turn to mow it and it has never been fun or enjoyable. Why would i want to mow when I could be fishing, drinking, swimming, napping, shooting my bow......or just about anything!!

 

Funny story....My last house I lived in a nice development. You know house on left, right, front......my neighbor on the left was that mow every other day guy in stupid diamond patterns. Used to drive me nuts. He'd be up 7am mowing his fool head off. He was a VA pharmacist nice guy actually. Years later I found out he was stealing and using all kinds of drugs. Now I know why he had all that energy!

[BizCT]

Weed killer applied!


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Grass Hockey Net?


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[BizCT]

Mowing the lawn is not anywhere near my wish i could do more of list!! My lawn has a great mix of thousands of kinds of clover, weeds, flowers and some grasses. It looks real pretty when millions of dandelions are in bloom!!
 
Its hilly, bumpy, mole infested and I don't rake leaves either. Run em over with the mower, moles and leaves. It takes me 1.5-2 hours on the zero turn to mow it and it has never been fun or enjoyable. Why would i want to mow when I could be fishing, drinking, swimming, napping, shooting my bow......or just about anything!!
 
Funny story....My last house I lived in a nice development. You know house on left, right, front......my neighbor on the left was that mow every other day guy in stupid diamond patterns. Used to drive me nuts. He'd be up 7am mowing his fool head off. He was a VA pharmacist nice guy actually. Years later I found out he was stealing and using all kinds of drugs. Now I know why he had all that energy!

2 hours on a rider mower means a massive lawn! I’m under 2 hours per week walking. 0.46 acres (minus the house, driveway, and inground pool)


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[crappyice]

Grass Hockey Net?


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Knee hockey, field hockey, frisbees, soccer balls, everything goes in that net. Not sure why it’s behind “poppy’s tree” (Japanese maple we transplanted from my original house that my father started from the little seedlings that pop up from his tree and then he transfers to coffee cup, can, pot, etc) but that’s kids for ya.


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[bugsNbows]

Between my OCD and previous jobs (golf course Superintendent and Hort Mgr at WDW) I MUST have a nice lawn. That’s just the way it is!

[BizCT]

 

Backyard 2nd mow of the year. Battled thru the rain.

 

#NoFilter

 

 

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[wolc123]

Thursday might be my first cut.  A few spots are still under water, but it should be dry enough by then.  More rain is coming on Friday.   It will be way too thick to cut with my hydro-transmission mower and will likely take me at least 90 minutes with the gear job.  Each of my mowers has a low front tire.  I will split a can of slime between them and hope it stops the leaks.  Yesterday evening, I finally finished raking the stones off the lawn that got pushed on it from the snowplow.  

Getting that first cut finished will be sweet.  After that, I can't wait for it to slow down during the summer.  Cutting it every other week is a lot better that every 4 days, which is the frequency it usually needs cutting at this time of year.         

[Moho81]

All set for the first cut as soon as the grass drys out. Snowblower off and deck on. Trying a mulch kit this year to see how that does I’m just hoping it eliminates the grass clumps that always happen regardless how tall the grass gets.



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[mlammerhirt]

All set for the first cut as soon as the grass drys out. Snowblower off and deck on. Trying a mulch kit this year to see how that does I’m just hoping it eliminates the grass clumps that always happen regardless how tall the grass gets.



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The mulching kit I put on my ride a few years ago works great.....zero clumping even on the heavy wet stuff at times.

I as well need to roll the hell out of my lawn next week.....can't stand bouncing around like a ping pong ball mid July on the rider.

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[gfdeputy2]

LOL Nope Snow just left the lawn Saturday

[crappyice]

Hey Biz-you bagging the clippings or mulching them back in the lawn- pretty sure I know the answer but thought the WNY guys would get a kick out of the answer


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[landtracdeerhunter]

Came home the other night with the windows rolled down on the car. Quite a few lawns mowed.  I really enjoy the smell of fresh grass, this time of year.

[BizCT]

Hey Biz-you bagging the clippings or mulching them back in the lawn- pretty sure I know the answer but thought the WNY guys would get a kick out of the answer

 

 

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Mulching. I never bag unless it gets too long. Mulch is free fertilizer. My pics are the giveaway- no bag.

 

 

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[rob-c]

We bought a rider several years ago and the wife said right from the get go it’s hers.i spend 1/2 hour tops weed eating and touch ups with the push mower. She loves mowing, we do need to put down something for the dandelions though.  

[mowin]

Started mowing yesterday. 

First client, got stuck in a spot that is never wet.. wasn't too bad getting it out.  Fixed the spot and went onto the 2nd lawn of the day. Walk the "problem" areas, pick up a few sticks and hope on the Z and start mowing.   Yep, stuck again. This time I'm not just stuck, I'm friggin buried.  

Had to go home grab ropes, chains ECT and a come a long to get me out.  

Took 1.5 hrs total.  Fixed that area as best as possible, loaded up and went home.  

Got more rain last night.  And more coming tomorrow.  Joy.... 

At this rate, it will be 2 weeks before things dry up enough. I'll need a baler or a heard of goats.  

[crappyice]

 
Mulching. I never bag unless it gets too long. Mulch is free fertilizer. My pics are the giveaway- no bag.
 
 
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Interesting- I thought the clippings would end up in a bag so not to end up in the pool


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[philoshop]

I spent a few hours yesterday with my Dad taking the backblade/snowplow off the kubota and changing the oil while my Mom watched. It started raining so we didn't get the mower deck on. The mower deck is a b***h. It weighs more than most lawn tractors and is not easily maneuvered. I used to do it alone, but it now takes three people with some muscle. On the bright side, there is nothing that mower deck won't chew up and spit out. It was also nice spending some time with my parents.

[BizCT]

Interesting- I thought the clippings would end up in a bag so not to end up in the pool


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I only bag the 1 lap around pool edge. The rest of the lawn’s clippings fall right into the ground


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[turkeyfeathers]

19 hours ago, bugsNbows said:

Between my OCD and previous jobs (golf course Superintendent and Hort Mgr at WDW) I MUST have a nice lawn. That’s just the way it is!

my dad was a golf course superintendent for 43 years    worked at same club 80 years  

[BizCT]

my dad was a golf course superintendent for 43 years    worked at same club 80 years  

I heard the pin locations were an inside job which led to your numerous championship titles?


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[Fletch]

2 hours on a rider mower means a massive lawn! I’m under 2 hours per week walking. 0.46 acres (minus the house, driveway, and inground pool)


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Yep 2 acres of lawn with lotsa obstacles


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