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Mowing a dirty lot / felling the pine trees

Started by livemusic, August 24, 2021, 07:12:14 PM

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livemusic

My brother and I share an Exmark Quest 50 inch ZRT mower; I think it is 2014 model. Has 23hp Kawasaki. I might be buying a new one, not sure yet, shopping and thinking about it. I just bought another house (with zero dirt, it's all well-manicured grass!) and it makes the total acreage between the two of us about 3.5 acres. Our lots are contiguous.

My question is... my brother also owns a lot right next to his that his late MIL lived in (single wide trailer) and the lot is full of tall, mature pine trees. So, very little sunlight gets through and it has very little grass. The dirt is iron ore! Which means full of little pieces of iron ore rocks and red clay. It's small, probably 3/10 acre but man, that thing is full of ruts and bare spots. I hate to see him mowing that lot with that mower! The dust that is kicked up is unreal. I have asked him not to mow areas of pure dirt, turn off the blades! I am wondering if I need to get firmer on that. What do you think? Especially if I buy another mower. He actually could get his helper to mow that lot with his self-propelled push mower, wouldn't take but probably 30 minutes. Do you think mowing a dirty lot is a bad idea with expensive mowers like this? We have started changing our air filter more often. It sure gets dirty.

If I were to buy a new mower, it would cost $3400 to $6500 I'm thinking, depending on size/model. Plus tax.

On a sidenote, I actually think my brother should remove the pines in the front yard (which is all that has any grass on it) and we could make a decent front yard on that lot so light could get in and grow grass. Of course, that will be a lot of work, I counted 15 pines, from 12 inch DH to 24 inch DBH. I don't know if I could get any logger to pick up the load of logs. What do you think on that? Only other solution I know to that is burn them. Hauling them off would cost a lot! The slash, alone would be a fair amount of work. If I were to hire a tree service, I don't know if would be pricey; the trees are perfectly straight and have small crowns. Just like pines in a pine plantation. And then I would like to remove some trees from my own yard. Sheesh, a ton of work here! I do know two tree guys who do good work and won't rip you off. Maybe I could talk one of them to bring his logging truck (tractor trailer) and haul the load of logs.

Sure appreciate feedback on these two questions from you knowledgeable folks!
~~~
Bill

beenthere

livemusic
Let your brother buy your share of the X-Mark, and then you buy your own. 
Then you can take good care of yours without worrying about what he is doing with his. 
Should end your dilemma.  
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

livemusic

Quote from: beenthere on August 24, 2021, 07:34:50 PM
livemusic
Let your brother buy your share of the X-Mark, and then you buy your own.
Then you can take good care of yours without worrying about what he is doing with his.
Should end your dilemma.  
Yes, but the only negative to that is that I have more bank than he does, I can afford it and am willing and he is five years older, so, enjoying a new machine would be 'fun' for him. Just wondering if it matters cutting a dirty lot. I know a commercial mower guy, I will call him and ask him if he would even cut a dirty lot, he might turn it down, he's pretty particular with his equipment. And then, the other question about would a logger come pick up a load of pines, curious about that, too! I will call that logger I know.
~~~
Bill

mike_belben

have someone with a small tractor and narrow york rake come prep the site up to remove the stones and fill the ruts so as to smooth it.  then garden hose the area before mowing to keep the dust down.

if you really want them gone, right now its probably wisest so pay a hand cutter with verified active insurance policy to fall and buck the logs in place. then a mobile bandmill to come saw them up into utility wood or shed framing for you.  either to use or to sell.  wood is expensive so youll either realize a savings on shed lumber or make a profit flipping the wood.  but with log prices high everyone who wants to log is hard at it, you wont find anyone to come fool with yard trees who isnt charging you good money to take them away.  

in either case youve got a sunny stump farm to mow around after theyre gone.  the tops you can dice up, pile, cover and then burn during wet season. 
Praise The Lord

nativewolf

I guess I dont understand but why would you want to make a lawn where you have to mow and water and etc.  Nice mature pine, just let it be and hit any weeds with a weedeater and save your money and your brother some time.  
Liking Walnut

livemusic

Quote from: nativewolf on August 25, 2021, 09:57:09 AM
I guess I dont understand but why would you want to make a lawn where you have to mow and water and etc.  Nice mature pine, just let it be and hit any weeds with a weedeater and save your money and your brother some time.  
It's just ugly; there is nothing at all redeeming about that lot. It could look nice by removing some trees and establishing a lawn. If you leave it alone, it will continue to deteriorate with more ruts. The only way to fix it IMO is to do what I mentioned above or else haul dirt in there and sod it. And then it might not be enough light to grow the grass unless you removed some trees. The lot slopes back to front. My brother hauled a bunch of dirt in there two years ago and put some grass plugs in and it all washed away. Torrential rains come here. I warned him that it would not work, that you would need to sod or top cover any bare dirt, else it will wash on any slope around here. It was all gone in six months.
Anyway, the lot is ugly. And I cringe seeing it mowed. Dirt and rocks.
I will just solve this by buying another mower and give him the shared eXmark and he can maintain it and do what he wishes.
~~~
Bill

HemlockKing

Any pictures from of said trees/yard? Maybe you could do a bit of both, some removal for grass and bigger tree growth. Have some
Grass and some shade? I'm just going off my
Imagination though I could very well agree with you on levelling it if I knew what it looked like.
A1

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