This spring the retail store garden tractor that I bought in 2010 finally died to the point that I just didn’t want to spend any more money on it. I’m not going to bash the brand, but I will say that I disliked that tractor from the time I bought it. Back in 2010 I think I paid about $1,800 for it.
Never like it, you couldn’t even raise the deck high enough to cut the grass on the high side. For a long time it ran just fine but I never felt that it did a good job of cutting the grass.
But I will say this about retail store/big box store mowers. In 2005 I bought a John Deere mower from my neighbor used. It was five years old when I got it and my neighbor bought it at a big box store. Hydrostatic drive. That was a great mower. I eventually gave it to my neighbor Richard and he used it right up until last year, 2019!
So I am not going to say that retail store mowers are not good value!
In 2011 I bought a Toro Zero turn mower for Pam to use at home. We’re still using that mower and it does a great job. It is very much a mower for home use.
Last spring, 2019 I decided to bite the bullet and buy a Kubota Zero Turn Mower. I love zero turn mowers! They are so maneuverable! The Kubota Zero Turn that I bought is what I think they call their “semi pro series”. More heavy duty than a residential model but not quite a commercial mower built to be used for 8 to 10 hours a day every day.
This Kubota mower was a lot more expensive than a retail store zero turn because it’s heavy duty, built like a tank really. I love it! I’ve had my Kubota tractor since 2010 and I’ve pretty much cleared my entire nursery with that Kubota. I’ve not really been kind to that tractor but it truly is a dependable work horse. You can see it in action in this video;
I wish I could say a lot more about this mower but maybe I just don’t know enough about it other than to say I love it. This model has a Kawasaki engine, the drive train is hydraulic driven. Really nice machine.
Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I’ll respond.
Hi Mike-nice mower!!! I noticed you had a kubota tractor as well and i was wondering which model and how many HP it was and if you thought that was the right size for your nursery? I’m in the market and looking for first hand experience-thanks for all you do!
John,
Great question! My Kubota is 37 hp, 4 wheel drive. I considered a 22 hp and a friend told me that I would be frustrated out of my mind. He was right. The 37 hp is the perfect size for me. When I bought the property for my nursery is was completely grown up. I cleared every square inch of it with that Kubota. Including some big trees that I dug around and pushed over. See this; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2011/07/mikes-new-nursery-from-the-beginning/
Good article thanks
Mike,
I have an acre and a quarter. You have CAPTURED my attention, and now I am looking at the Kubota zero-turn mowers! I had a much older hydrostatic J. Deere, that I installed a 20 HP Onan engine-in, but it is now dead. My acreage is on a side of a shallow-hillside, and the Deere was a little too top heavy for solid stability. Also I needed real ‘ribbed’ tractor tires to keep me from sliding over a sharp drop-off at the bottom of my property.
Question: Any mods that you recommend for your Z411?…and why did you go with the Kawasaki engine VS the Kohler? I am STRONGLY considering the 48″ cut mower deck, instead of a larger deck. (My 42 ” deck on the J.D. was large enough!)
.Any other comments? Thanks Mike, for any other welcome comments you might add.
Ron,
I think the Kawasaki engine is just a better engine and it was standard on the model that I chose which was a step above the one with the Kohler engine. I don’t even remember what else was different between the two models, a tad bigger machine??? I went with the 48″ deck because I have a couple of tight spots that I can barely squeak through the 48″ deck. I actually have to raise the discharge shoot to mow those spots. I drilled a hole in the shoot and keep a bungie on the machine so I can pull the shoot up when I need to. But for safety of those around me and always put in down in all other areas. The difference between this machine and my smaller Toro residential zero turn are huge. The Toro is clearly a mower for a residential lot where this machine is more like a tractor. Another factor, being a Kubota I figured this mower will last as long as I will.
Ron, I would vote for the Kawasaki too, they start easier, have fewer maintenance needs, last more hours overall it seems. That said, Kohler makes an excellent engine too, just not quite the level of quality as the Japanese. Only other issue might be that when you need parts, the Kawi parts can be slightly harder to find locally, but I get them easily and quickly from eBay and Amazon.
Hey Ron. I bought my wife a Kubota z121 ztr mower a couple of years ago and she LOVES it. I have 5 acres to mow
Hit the wrong button!
She loves the 48″ model cuz sheccan get it done at a leisurely pace in a couple of days.
Jim Stinson
MMCS/SS USN (ret)
I like the mower. Quick question Mike. I’ve been buying plants from a wholesaler at very reduced prices. These plants don’t meet their quality standards for one reason or another. Wilting, maybe black spots but once they get out of the pot they seem to do very nicely and look fantastic within a month or two. These are 3 gallon size. I am in Georgia so I’d like to buy these pull them out of the pots to revive and hopefully resell at a profit in the spring? Is it possible to pot them in the spring and sell or will they likely wilt and die after the warm spring weather hits
Mike,
More than likely the plants will be fine. But if you are planting them in the ground you need to dig them before they make leaves or for sure they will fail if you dig them after they leave out. If you plan to sell them re-pot them in a larger pot right away. Disturb the roots, trim the plants as needed and fertilize. They should recover nicely. Make sure you are buying from a certified grower and be sure to be licensed yourself to avoid issues.
Thanks Mike, I hadn’t considered potting in a larger pot. Thank You
What fertilizer is recommended in that situation?
The easiest thing to get your hands on is probably Osmocote triple 14, you can buy that in garden stores. It has to be slow release, at least 3 to 4 months. In the members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, you can get other brands, probably better formulations at a discount in large bags. There’s one in particular that I use but I really can’t share those sources or discounts here.
Mike,
Nice new wheels. Better to never go cheap at the big box stores on a mower haha. On another note: what signs of spring tell you it’s time to get out and top dress.the slow release fertilizer? I’m trying to extend my vacation as late as I can. Thanks, mike
Dean,
No hurry on that. Really swollen buds, just ready to make leaves is a good time. But I don’t re-fertilize anything until after our spring sales and we start cleaning up and organizing the nursery.