Zero Turn Mower - What to do?

[bass-action]

I have a Gravely 48" with a power bagger. Had it for 3 years now been flawless. Can't seem to plug it up and trust me I've tried, love it! Just wish bags were bigger

[Rangerdeepv]

How about a lawn sweeper........they are available everywhere and not to crazy expensive either.

[born to fish]

I have a Hustler Raptor 52" with a mulching kit. Unbelievable how it grinds the leaves up. No raking, blowing or disposal. No stamped parts, all heavy duty welded. They make a lot of the commercial mowers too.

[mrgamblerman]

I agree with 2dwoods. Walker has great bagging system. My walkermower is 17 years old and still going strong. They are made in Fort Collins Colorado. I’m

[Dixie-Raven]

Can you use a snow blower attachment and blow them into the woods? How about a vacuum wagon?

[local16]

This. Why bag at all unless you just want to?

If I only mulched my 1/2 acre lot, you wouldn’t see anything but mulched leaves when the snow melted in the spring.

[okiebass]

I just mulch my place ( 2 acres) looks fine . Have never picked leaves up .

[Hammmerhead]

You gotta go big with a powered fan to keep the Chute from stopping up. Although, Im surrounded with 100 foot Oaks and I need a large pull behind leaf mulcher, and I bet you do too.

[rednecktech]

You must live in the woods like I do. I have 32 large oak trees in my yard plus about 50 more surrounding my yard where I don't cut. Most people don't have a clue what a hassle it is dealing with this many leaves. I could easily work 4 days a week trying to mow the leaves like some suggested but you never get ahead. Once they start falling now I just let the lay until early spring and start working on them then.

In the woods here and that's what I do as well. Come spring after the pin oaks and young white oaks finally drop their leaves, I rake the front and one side, load em on a tarp on a trailer, take em to the woods and just slide the tarp off and dump 'em. Around the pool I cut with a self propelled and bagger. Behind the pool in the back yard, I run the rider with the guard held up back and forth blowing the leave down the hill to the edge of the woods. The leaves don't bother me. Used to drive my Mom crazy every time she came over.

[96 Champ]

Hustler Zero Turn, with mulch kit.

[davesz518]

Gator mulching blades from Jacks Small Engines works for me. Surrounded by neighbors' oak trees....I just don't let them get ankle deep plus.

[Bjxds]

Garden tractor and Cyclone rake. Most bags on mowers and zero turns are small, and you will be stopping a Million times to empty

[davidsa]

my yard may be much smaller but I just rake and bag them. I mow relatively frequently in the fall with my 36 inch walk behind mostly to cut up the leaves that accumulate in the weeks after raking.

[BASSBUZZ]

Keep an eye out for a good used Walker.

[MattVT18]

Get a after market vacuum.

this is the answer...if you can't swing the cost the pull behind sweepers work pretty good. I've used both the success over the years.

[pabasshawk]

I have a cyclone rake that I pull behind my zero turn, came with an adapter bar that bolts it directly to my mower. Does a great job and stores easily in my shed.

[BP in ME]

If you live in the woods, you can lift the shield some and blow half of them directly into the woods. Start first lap approx 12' from the edge and do three laps outwards. Then move in another 12' or so and work them outward again. Six laps should cover a good chunk of your yard.

Question for the guys suggesting mulching: Aren't oak leaves high in tannin, esp. red oak? I didn't think it makes very good compost. They take a long time to break down too.

[Axkiker]

If you live in the woods, you can lift the shield some and blow half of them directly into the woods. Start first lap approx 12' from the edge and do three laps outwards. Then move in another 12' or so and work them outward again. Six laps should cover a good chunk of your yard.

Question for the guys suggesting mulching: Aren't oak leaves high in tannin, esp. red oak? I didn't think it makes very good compost. They take a long time to break down too.

Not sure about the compost deal but they are indeed high in tannin. You can use them for canning pickles to help keep them crunchy.

[Stoverdog]

I have a John Deere all wheel turn tractor. Think the model is 340. It turns almost as tight as zero turn. I like it because of the tight turns and you can still have a bagger and pull stuff like trailers.

[ch]

I use a pull behind lawn sweeper on my zero turn works pretty good

Same here