# Inquiry to reel mower owners



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

How do you all handle debris in your yard?

For leaves, I am happy to use the bagging feature on my rotary mower. However, I have two pecan trees. I would love to use a reel mowe AND keep the trees. Is that at all an option?


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

How low are you wanting to go? If ~ 1/2" I think it would be fine, the grass will be so dense the pecans will stay on top and you could use a leaf blower to blow them in a bed for later collection.

Pecans are a relatively soft nut as far as nuts go, I don't see them causing too much damage to a reel/bedknife.


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## SwardmanGuy (Oct 30, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> How do you all handle debris in your yard?
> 
> For leaves, I am happy to use the bagging feature on my rotary mower. However, I have two pecan trees. I would love to use a reel mowe AND keep the trees. Is that at all an option?


How about this? 




On youtube are a lot different possibilities...
Maybe even Swardman scarifier removable cartridge could handle this... @Ware could try it 




 ..but Im not sure about it. Leaves are ok. But nuts...not sure...


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

SwardmanGuy said:


> Movingshrub said:
> 
> 
> > How do you all handle debris in your yard?
> ...


We used to get thousands of acorns on the tee boxes and while running them through a reel unit isn't ideal, most survived. Of course you run the risk of catching one just right and bending a reel blade. Don't pecans have a very hard/brittle shell?

I like swardmanguy's idea of the scarifier or perhaps the verticut cartridge to pick up the nuts. But @swardmanguy, what about the rotary brush cartridge?


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

J_nick said:


> How low are you wanting to go? If ~ 1/2" I think it would be fine, the grass will be so dense the pecans will stay on top and you could use a leaf blower to blow them in a bed for later collection.
> 
> Pecans are a relatively soft nut as far as nuts go, I don't see them causing too much damage to a reel/bedknife.


I don't think my yard is going to be smooth enough for below 0.5". I'd be happy to try cutting anywhere from 0.5"-1.25".

Also - how do you guys handle - uhh, dog landmines? Remove manually prior to cutting?


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> J_nick said:
> 
> 
> > How low are you wanting to go? If ~ 1/2" I think it would be fine, the grass will be so dense the pecans will stay on top and you could use a leaf blower to blow them in a bed for later collection.
> ...


I'd remove it if I really had the time. I usually just steamroll it then chop it up, as you can see from my roller.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

My dog rarely leaves me presents on the reel cut grass but if he does I will remove it prior to mowing. He normally leaves them in the rotary territory.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

J_nick said:


> My dog rarely leaves me presents on the reel cut grass but if he does I will remove it prior to mowing. He normally leaves them in the rotary territory.


I'm really trying to evaluate whether a reel mower is a viable option for me.

Back yard - 7000 sqft - This area is used by the dog. Mostly level. All Tiftuf hybrid bermuda. Two mature pecan trees and one oak tree.

Side yard - 1500 sqft - This is mostly level/smooth. It's all Tiftuf. This area is impacted by the oak tree and whatever junk trees my neighbor has hanging over our property line.

Front yard - 5000 sqft - This area has not been renovated. It involves two large patched areas with tiftuf, some kind of zoysia cultivar, and what looks like some other unknown bermuda cultivar. This area currently has a maple and oak tree. The long term plan is to remove the maple (which is dying) and the oak tree (which just looks really busted), glyphosate everything, smooth out the undulations, and then sprig with Tiftuf (potentially harvested from the back and side).

I am using a Honda HRX 217 for now.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I think it mostly depends on your expectations. There is nothing wrong with rotary cut bermuda - it just doesn't yield the same results as bermuda cut with a reel. I live next to a county road and mow my earthen ditch (right corner of this photo) with an HRX217. It looks fine most of the time.


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## tigertailbell (Mar 13, 2017)

My front roller usually pushes acorns and such debris down and out of the way of the reel. I have sweetgum balls in my back and they never get into the reel. I will catch a piece of mulch from time to time but it doesn't seem to hurt anything. 
I mow 14,000 of Zoysia with a 26" reel. Takes about 45min- 1 hour .


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Is there any kind of starter reel for dummies? I don't really know what features I am looking for in terms of where to start.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Is there any kind of starter reel for dummies? I don't really know what features I am looking for in terms of where to start.


A McClane, Tru-Cut, or especially something like the Swardman would be easiest to handle as they all control their drive speed independently of the reel. So you can slow down for turns without having to disengage the reel. I can control the drive and slow down a greensmower as well, but it's not nearly the same level of control. Keep in mind your average greensmower weighs in around 250-300lbs. Also, a mower with a larger diameter reel will deal with taller grass better than a 5" typically found on a GM. But if you are good about mowing when you should, that shouldn't be too much of a consideration.

If you want to jump into a GM, I think Toro's controls are probably the easiest to master, and their DPA bedknife adjustment on the more recent units is a snap to work with compared to other systems. Ware has more than one video that shows how easy a GreensMaster walkmower is to operate.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

@MasterMech thanks for the info. To provide a bit of perspective, Every vehicle I've owned has been a manual transmission so I am comfortable learning something that requires a bit more coordination. I just don't want to pull the trigger on a mclane, have a bad experience, and learn later that it would have been a very different experience with a toro, as an example.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> @MasterMech thanks for the info. To provide a bit of perspective, Every vehicle I've owned has been a manual transmission so I am comfortable learning something that requires a bit more coordination. I just don't want to pull the trigger on a mclane, have a bad experience, and learn later that it would have been a very different experience with a toro, as an example.


My Jake has a nice control setup where there is no separate drive lever. It's all subtle inputs to the operator presence bail and maybe setting the engine speed with the paddle toggle lever. I hardly moved my hands once we got acquainted.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Also - how do you guys handle - uhh, dog landmines? Remove manually prior to cutting?


We have one of those long handled scoops with a small rake. Works great and it's quick and easy to remove Fido's handiwork. The lower the cut, the easier the removal is.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Ware said:


> I think it mostly depends on your expectations. There is nothing wrong with rotary cut bermuda - it just doesn't yield the same results as bermuda cut with a reel. I live next to a county road and mow my earthen ditch (right corner of this photo) with an HRX217. It looks fine most of the time.


WOW!


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Has anyone seen/done a good "How to select a reel mower" write up or youtube video?

Questions off the top of my head:
When to use manual vs gasoline powered
What size width
How many blades
How to handle transportation across hard surfaces
Challenges to expect
Features to seek out and why (this could get unwieldy) in terms of controls, engine size, accessories, etc. 
Features to avoid/overpriced
Pros/Cons of brands/models
HOC range for popular models

It's challenging to determine the right choice since you can't exactly take these things for a test drive at your local lawn mower shop.


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Has anyone seen/done a good "How to select a reel mower" write up or youtube video?
> 
> Questions off the top of my head:
> When to use manual vs gasoline powered
> ...


I have a 5 blade reel. As you have likely figured out, the more blades, then the lower the HOC can go. I got mine used in good shape for 75 smackers and couldn't really afford more after having bought the grass and everything else that year, so I took what I could get. My feeling is that a 7 blade would be much more desirable than a 5. I would pass on a 5 blade unless it's super cheap and want to give it a shot.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Did any of you reel mower guys bother with a manual reel mower before diving in on a gasoline one? I'm essentially trying to determine how viable one is for my yard before making a significant purchase on something like a flex 21.


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Did any of you reel mower guys bother with a manual reel mower before diving in on a gasoline one? I'm essentially trying to determine how viable one is for my yard before making a significant purchase on something like a flex 21.


I used a manual reel for a couple years on a 1200 sq ft common Bermuda lawn. Worked fine until I started mowing at 0.5", the lawn thickened, and the mower work skip. Wasn't heavy enough for the thick grass.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

I used a manual reel for a little over a month before I bought my TruCut. Then another month or 2 went by and I bought a JD220B. It's a sickness.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

My lawn is 13,000 sqft. I'm under the impression I should either beg local TLF members that live nearby to let me try out their reel mower on a test sample of my yard or dive in head first with the risk that I might be selling the mower in the near future.


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

If there is someone nearby, a trial would be awesome. Otherwise, just go for it. You'll quickly learn your lawn isn't ever going to be level enough, and your grass will never be short enough.


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Did any of you reel mower guys bother with a manual reel mower before diving in on a gasoline one? I'm essentially trying to determine how viable one is for my yard before making a significant purchase on something like a flex 21.


Many have used a manual first. Though on your 13k yard in the prime growing months it's going to be brutal maintaining a low height.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Did any of you reel mower guys bother with a manual reel mower before diving in on a gasoline one? I'm essentially trying to determine how viable one is for my yard before making a significant purchase on something like a flex 21.


I wouldn't (I've used them before but never as a serious effort) as it's a very different user experience than running a gas powered unit.

I'm pretty sure the Flex21 is limited on how high it will cut. .500" is stuck in my head but please verify. If that's where you want to cut, then great, but I know my lawn would not allow me to be limited to .500" at this point.

Warning: The following is just my opinion and only worth the asking price....

There is a reason that rotary mowers dominate all but the most meticulously maintained turf..... They are (relatively) cheap and easy. :lol: Easy to push, Easy to maneuver/trim, easy to sharpen/maintain, and above all, easy to replace.

I think you see the end results of guys that go for some kind of reel mower. Those results are not just reel magic, they are the result of a commitment to *make* it work. You know the ends you are trying to achieve, it's up to you to decide if the means are worth it. I'd be lying to you if I said a reel is less work than a rotary. The machine is more demanding, and window of conditions in which it will perform is significantly narrower. Trying to stay within that window is the majority of the extra work that comes with switching to a reel. Fert, Water, Leveling, Weed/Disease control, all that comes with the Reel Low territory in addition to the frequent mowing.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

SGrabs33 said:


> Movingshrub said:
> 
> 
> > Did any of you reel mower guys bother with a manual reel mower before diving in on a gasoline one? I'm essentially trying to determine how viable one is for my yard before making a significant purchase on something like a flex 21.
> ...


+1 I used to want a bigger lawn but now I am quite happy with my 8K of lawn I do have. Mowing 13K of lawn at a minimum of twice a week with a reel would push me for sure. Having a 26" might make it doable but at 13K you are bordering on needing a triplex. Just my .02 :thumbup:


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Part of the challenge is, I don't really know what HOC I am aiming for, without having seen my turf at a lower HOC. My current target is based on the specs for the type of Bermuda which is 0.5"-2". I was cutting on the upper end. I'd love to just see what it looks like on the lower end, or even at 1".

If I am cutting my 13k lawn with a rotary mower two or three times a week in the summer, is it fair to assume I can just as easily cut it with a reel mower two or three times a week? From the position of an operator is it somehow physically more demanding?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> ...is it fair to assume I can just as easily cut it with a reel mower two or three times a week?


Should be no problem at 1" with PGR.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

I guess I am trying to grasp whether the challenge is physical, in terms of operating the equipment, or rather in terms of the time commitment both of cutting and of maintenance.

The other issue that is the big unknown is, will I get any noticeable improvement by using a reel vs a rotary, at the same HOC.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Part of the challenge is, I don't really know what HOC I am aiming for, without having seen my turf at a lower HOC. My current target is based on the specs for the type of Bermuda which is 0.5"-2". I was cutting on the upper end. I'd love to just see what it looks like on the lower end, or even at 1".
> 
> If I am cutting my 13k lawn with a rotary mower two or three times a week in the summer, is it fair to assume I can just as easily cut it with a reel mower two or three times a week? From the position of an operator is it somehow physically more demanding?


Once you go low with a reel, it's a whole new experience and is quite addictive. You've been warned :lol:

It's shouldn't be anymore demanding if you are already cutting that often. PGR is a life saver and another game changer :thumbup:


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> Movingshrub said:
> 
> 
> > Part of the challenge is, I don't really know what HOC I am aiming for, without having seen my turf at a lower HOC. My current target is based on the specs for the type of Bermuda which is 0.5"-2". I was cutting on the upper end. I'd love to just see what it looks like on the lower end, or even at 1".
> ...


Agreed with all of this. You will definitely notice the difference in a REEL vs. rotary. Most likely even the first time you mow.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

I am fine to cut 2-3 times a week, in terms of physically being able to do it. My plan to use PGR was just to cut down on cutting frequency when baby #2 arrives and test out the color and density differences.

The main issue with cutting multiple times a week is just keeping the XO happy.

I was cutting three times a week last year but that might have been due the pound of nitrogen I was applying weekly...


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> I am fine to cut 2-3 times a week, in terms of physically being able to do it. My plan to use PGR was just to cut down on cutting frequency when baby #2 arrives and test out the color and density differences.
> 
> The main issue with cutting multiple times a week is just keeping the XO happy.
> 
> I was cutting three times a week last year but that might have been due the pound of nitrogen I was applying weekly...


Yep, we all need to keep our SO's happy. Finding the right balance of everything, mowing/pgr/fert, will be key.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

I definitely am not applying that amount of nitrogen this year. I am trying to see if I can do .25lb weekly.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> Did any of you reel mower guys bother with a manual reel mower before diving in on a gasoline one? I'm essentially trying to determine how viable one is for my yard before making a significant purchase on something like a flex 21.


Yeah, I started using a push reel on my back yard and the front yard when the renovated grass came in and it was time to mow. I didn't want to take the zero turn on the new renovation, and the exercise was great. But I tell you, the draw of the stripes was too great, and soon I found myself in the market for a Toro. Glad I got one.


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## T-Roy Jenkins (Apr 24, 2017)

I bought a McClane last May. It took a few weeks for the yard to look good because I instantly went short. By mid summer the yard was looking great. This year I scalped at 11/16th and will mow it a bit lower from there before it starts greening and growing.

There was a noticeable difference in the feel of the grass vs my rotary mower. It was almost like walking in carpet. The drawback is I would let the lawn go a week or more between mowing with the rotary my first summer in the house. I was mowing 2-3 times per week with the reel last year and I should have mowed more.

The drawbacks are that since I don't bag, there are a TON of clippings in the yard, the mower requires much more user input than the rotary (harder to turn/more difficult to control) and you MUST keep up on mowing or the yard will get out of control quick. Upkeep is also more expensive. The only place I know of in town charges $125 to sharpen the blades.

I would never go back to the rotary mower. I tried it at the end of the year and ended up with blade cuts everywhere. It will be to pick up clippings after I mow with the reel.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

T-Roy Jenkins said:


> ...The drawbacks are that since I don't bag, there are a TON of clippings in the yard...


This. This is what you seek. :bandit:


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## T-Roy Jenkins (Apr 24, 2017)

Ware said:


> T-Roy Jenkins said:
> 
> 
> > ...The drawbacks are that since I don't bag, there are a TON of clippings in the yard...
> ...


That thread is a rabbit hole! I read on it some last year but I'm having to pace myself on purchases. Maybe later in the year or next year.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

T-Roy Jenkins said:


> That thread is a rabbit hole! I read on it some last year but I'm having to pace myself on purchases. Maybe later in the year or next year.


You might check with CK and see if he has any small quantities left. You wouldn't need much for your size lawn.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

I have black walnut trees all along my creek. The nuts are about 2-3" in diameter with the husks. Without the husks they are about 1 1/2".

If the reel hits one it will cause damage, so I make sure they get picked up by my genetic offspring prior to a mow. Which means I end up doing most of it after they miss 60% of them 

At my currrent HOC, the reel can pass over the nuts in the spring with the husks gone, but I don't want to risk it.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

HoosierLawnGnome said:


> I have black walnut trees all along my creek. The nuts are about 2-3" in diameter with the husks. Without the husks they are about 1 1/2".
> 
> If the reel hits one it will cause damage, so I make sure they get picked up by my genetic offspring prior to a mow. Which means I end up doing most of it after they miss 60% of them
> 
> At my currrent HOC, the reel can pass over the nuts in the spring with the husks gone, but I don't want to risk it.


That's my concern. I assume it's one thing to hit a solid pecan, but another thing entirely to hit a pecan husk. I'm counting on the army of squirrels in my neighborhood to manage the pecan population in my yard. If I'm going to spend an hour picking up pecans every time I cut my yard (2-3 times a week), I'll stick with a rotary mower. With that being said, I may just opt for a reel for the front and side, and then rotary mower in the back yard with the pecan trees.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> HoosierLawnGnome said:
> 
> 
> > I have black walnut trees all along my creek. The nuts are about 2-3" in diameter with the husks. Without the husks they are about 1 1/2".
> ...


All you need is a device similar to those used to pick up golf balls mounted in front! :lol:


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