Help with cutting Bahia

[Dennis Spencer]

Does any one cut large areas .what cuts best
do you charge more
i'am looking at 8 arces
do you price hr or ac

[kerr lawn]

i cut 17 acres approx. i get 325 per cut. it is so cheap because it is the gas line, so it is just a big open space.
8 acres i would like about 175-200 a cut, that is if there are no dangers, not to much weedeating, and not to looong of a driveway.
on my z master 26hp efi 72" that would take a little over an hour since the thing can do 6-7 acres an hour.
bryan

[HLC]

Dennis,
I can't offer any suggestions but look forward to hearing from someone who can. Bahia is my biggest problem. Haven't found anything that works well except really sharp blades. Of course the edge only lasts about 5 minutes cutting Bahia. If you can get an early start, MSMA will kill it but you do have to get an early start (right at green-up) and make repeated applications. Of course you can only use MSMA on bermuda and zoysia cause it'll kill centipede and St. Augustine. Vantage is supposed to be safe on centipede and St. Augustine but only claims to suppress the Bahia. Haven't tried Vantage myself so can't give a testimonial. Here in alabama, even if you get rid of it, you are still going to have it come back due to the vast amounts of hay fields in the area. Where in Alabama are you? You can drop me a line or reply on this thread......Joe

[Dennis Spencer]

HLC i may be very cloce . Ilive in prattville

[Dennis Spencer]

Kerr thanks, Bahiagrass produces tall seed heads 6-12in after
rain in only a few days .used mostly for hay .

[kutnkru]

BTW for what its worth Kerr, your pricing on the 17 acres is about $150 short on the low end. The 8 acre site if its also flat out iwde area mowing your cutting yourself short by about $50 here too on the low end.

Theres money to be made out there, dont give your services away -LOL!!!

[rodfather]

$19.12 per acre??? I don't care how easy it is, you're leaving a ton of $$$ on the table. Granted you have some leeway in that it's flat with little or none in the way of trimming. But that's way too cheap. Should be double (at least).

6 - 7 acres per hour? Are you sure about that? Sounds way high to me...4 or 5 maybe in the easiest conditions. I run 3, 72" Toro Groundsmasters. Granted they're not Zs, but I'm happy with about 3.5 acres per hour.

[kerr lawn]

well what do u recommed i do then
it is my own HOA and my dad is the treasure, the company before did it for 350 and make it look horrable. Put grass in ppl's property along the field and never cut these 2 hills so then ppl could see around traffic. This company was done in about 20-25 min. no problem 3 lazer's going, weedwackers and wb to do this hill.
I did it last year, the year before they got it done for 350, year before 350, and the for the 2 years before that 325.
With the z going, the 48", and 1 weed wacker were done in about 3 hrs, so 9 hours of work. Now the only reason i can't get it done faster is because i don't have another z going. I don't want to lose it because it is so easy and the side jobs (mulch, clean-up, and whatever else needs to be done) pay very well.
Don't get me wrong there is money to be made here, just really competive, for example i got fired from this guy because he wanted me to cut more grass that he didn't realize was his. i said 35 and he said 30 i said no, and never cut that yard since.
I'm almost 21 and i guess i'm still learning how to get business done.

[CSRA Landscaping]

Since it's just you and this gives you access to the rest of the more profitable work to be had there, I would say that's ok. Likely you'll figure out ways to streamline as you go along. Don't worry, you've got lots of time to get where you're going, this isn't a tragedy.

[roscioli]

Your dad is the treasure?

[lawngator]

I, too, hate bahai grass. The problem is it has a weak blade that gets blown down by the powerful wind generated by commercial mowers. I've actually found the best mowers for bahai are belt drive walk behinds with the front casters lower than the rear. Also, the shorter you can cut it(without damaging it) the better. Sharp blades help, but as mentioned, they won't stay that way. Good luck, whew...8 acres of bahai. Over estimate your time when figuring your quote. The bahai will slow you down a bit.

[TFL]

i cut large area. iuseually charge around $40 an acre(about an hour an acre) i use New Holland GT18's 18 HP 52 inch cut.

[Dennis Spencer]

Lawngator i have used my bagging deck on my walker with
the back open .thinking ?????? it would make the grass stand
up may have work but what a mess if the wind is blowing

[JEFF ZALMANOFF]

I cut many 3 - 5 - 7 acre sites . easy ones are $ 25.00 PER ACRE . IF LOT OF TRIMMING THEN ADD $ 15.00 to $35.00 to total in my area that is all you can get no matter if it is a small farm or has a $ 400.000 HOUSE ON IT . AND ALMOST ALL OF THESE ARE BAHIA .

[JEFF ZALMANOFF]

I USE FRONT CUT TORO GROUNDS MASTERS WITH 72 SUPER FLOW DECKS IT CUTS IT REAL WELL. I USE TORO REGULAR BLADES AND TORO ATOMIC MULCHING BLADE . I CAN CUT AT GOOD SPEED 8 TO 10 MPH AND HAVE A GREAT LOOKING LAWN .

[JEFF ZALMANOFF]

I FORGOT TO SAY MOST OF THE TIME WE MOW BAHIA AT TWO AND A HALF INCHES .

[Richard Martin]

Kerr, where in Maryland are you cutting Bahia?

[lawngator]

DENNIS,
That sounds like a good idea, but I can see where it would make a mess. Did it cut pretty good?

[kerr lawn]

hey richard
i don't have it here at all. I took a turfgrass class a montgomery college and we didn't even learn about it. I was just throwing my estimate out for grass.

[Dennis Spencer]

Lawngator
I thank the cut did good but if the seed heads are tall
it left them on the grown .

[Dennis Spencer]

grown???? ground

[Richard Martin]

Kerr,
Cutting Bahia is completely different from cutting anything we have in Maryland. It gets these tall stalks in a couple of days and they are a royal pain to cut. If you've ever cut really tall grass that just lays over when you try to cut it then you know what it's like to try to cut Bahia sometimes.

[kerr lawn]

i hate that stuff but with a 18hp twin kohler on a 48" hydro the thing is unstoppable almost.
what part of maryland do u live in richard?
bryan

[HOMER]

The longer the blade the better the cut. My 48" won't cut it worth a ***** but my 72" does a pretty good job. If it's dried out ain't nothin' gonna cut it good. Cut it when it has some moisture in it.

I don't think the question was about the grass itself though................or was it?

I'm south of you and deal with it on a daily basis.:angry:

One good thing about it..........it always grows and people want it cut no matter if we're in a drought. Very unsightly...........you yanks just think you got it bad with that fast growin stuff.

[PrimeGreen Lawn]

kerr lawn, I see that you have been doing this since you were 10? Is that correct? Anyway, which part of MD are you in? We're in Westminster, but do most of my business in Ellicott City and Columbia.

Scott :blob4:

[kerr lawn]

hey prime green lawn
i have been doing this since i was 11 summer/spring of 5th grade.
I'm just going into my 10th season of cutting grass, back then i was i just the neighborhood lawnboy and wanted some money. I asked my parents for money and they said get a job, so i decided to cut grass.
I live in brookeville/olney area i do most of work here, but i do have a days worth of work between darnestown and derwood.
I also do some work in aspen hills.
that lawn out in glen burnie, are u still trying to get rid of it
thanks
bryan