lawn stripes

[Acorn]

lawn stripes bug me. Now before you get your panties all in a bunch... this is just my opinion and was wondering if anyone shared it. Stripes seem to take away from the look of the grass and surrounding landscape. They be blinding at times and cover up the actual health of the lawn. Why is the quality of a cut based on shades of light and darker green in straight lines? Don't get me wrong I try to get the best lines I can too because it looks more professional and seems to impress the customer but why is it so important? I would like to see a uniform colour rather than be blinded by stripes. To at least mix it up I sometimes make circles instead of stripes. This can cut down some time turning at the end of each stripe. Looks good too. Just my opinion

[John Gamba]

Acorn
You do Circles On My property's They Will Come after You With a Broom!!
john.

[rbruchwalski]

Personally I like the stripes, especially if i can do them diagonally. I think it just looks classy and also makes the lawn stand out more..:D

[fairway]

I think it is faster to strip a lawn then to do circles.

[tiedeman]

I think that the fact that there are light and dark shows that time was taking to provide a detailed looking lawn. I also think of a lawn as a canvas. You are painting a picture for the customer and others around them. Would you want a canvas to be one color, or multi colors? That is how I have always looked at it. I think also the fact that you can take a green lawn and make it different shades of green also shows quality and talent.

[LANDGUARD]

Acorn

You would love St, Augustine grass. You can run perfect lines and somedays not see a single variance in colors. Come on down to Florida and mow around on some.

[FrankenScagMachines]

Acorn
You do Circles On My property I Will Come after You With a Shovel!!
Eric.

[nlminc]

I did a bulls-eye in this one customers back yard once and he loved it. He is also in the Mafia, so maybe that had something to do with it!

[Acorn]

Eric,
you of all people in this room I thought would be open to new ideas what with all those mechanical inventions alternations. Open your mind further and see that your reality made up from your own perception. What if circles were the only thing people ever did and I suggested doing straight lines? Your shovel response would be the same I'm sure.;)

I'm just sitting here waiting for the 6" of new snow to melt getting envious of you guys actually cutting grass already. I won't be doing that for at least a month.

Keep up those inventions and remember a mind is like a parachute...it only works when it's open

[GreenQuest Lawn]

Yea I hate stripes too......,...

[FrankenScagMachines]

Acorn maybe I can come up with a destriping device! :blob4: I have an idea for one but it would take a bit of work to do....

[GreenQuest Lawn]

heres one I REALLY hate

[FrankenScagMachines]

Those are AWFUL!!!

[rodfather]

Straight stripes = your signature as a professional

[TLS]

Though not mine, it IS my exact machine!! And a good representation of my quality of work. Now that I have a digital camera, I'll be snapping a few in a month or so!

[FrankenScagMachines]

These are soooo nasty!!

[Acorn]

Originally posted by GreenQuest Lawn
Yea I hate stripes too......,...

Hey Greenquest, that's a great picture. Did you cut that lawn? I know the stripes look good but I get bored of it sometimes. It's like "been there, done that, bought the t-shirt" It doesn't take a whole lot of practice to duplicate those stripes (however, the lines are nice and straight) I just think that it looks like any other lawn done professionally and with the right equipment. No originality that would make someone look twice at it.

I never did get a picture of it but once I had a commercial customer that was trying to lease out a property. He had an open mind to marketing so I used a drop spreader to spell out "FOR LEASE" with a high nitrogen fertilizer with iron. The darker green letter received a lot of attention.

Just trying to keep it interesting and not the same old, same old

[The Lawn Boy Pro]

Originally posted by BushHogBoy
Acorn maybe I can come up with a destriping device! :blob4: I have an idea for one but it would take a bit of work to do....

I have one too- If youre using a Z, get a tow behind bagger, take off the bag, invert the gears, and set the height RIGHT at the top of the grass and tow it behind your z or w/b sulky. Thats my Idea-Then spray paint it to match your color styles!

[FrankenScagMachines]

That was my idea but mount it right on the frame of the mower (like where the Checkmate striping roller goes) behind the rear wheels. Would have to lift or pivot somehow... If you use one of those with the regular direction, it will help striping a good bit! But they are a big pain to maneuver...they don't back up worth a dime...

[The Lawn Boy Pro]

I already thought that through too- check the pic out

[FrankenScagMachines]

The drawing looks good. Basically what I had in mind but it needs to be so that you don't have to move any levers or anything to turn. Needs to be all automatic with no extra involvement from the operator! I suppose you could always just mow in boxes or circles lol...

[The Lawn Boy Pro]

I just thought of that RIGHT after I posted that too!
I figured if u added a couple casters to it and took the drive wheels off all together, then put a hydro trans on the sweeper....:blob3: I surewould be all set!!! hows that for total automation!!!!!

[KZS LAWN SERVICE INC]

Hey green quest,

Those are some nice lawns. What kind of striping kit do you use? Just curious cause whatever you use, it does a hell of a job.

[GreenQuest Lawn]

KZS LAWN SERVICE INC,

I use an Exmark Lazer 60" with a roller striper. Its kind of like the One Exmark now sells.




Acorn,

Ahh yes I share your thoughts about straight lines SOMETIMES (just sometimes)getting old. Although straight lines are still what gets me most of my work.

Oh yea and yes all these are my lawns that I cut.

Heres one for ya...

[bastalker]

Greenquest.....awsome lawns!!!!!!!

BHB.....straighten your lines up.;)

[Acorn]

Greenquest, That's what I'm talking about!!!! Mix it up once in a while. Keep from making tire ruts in the same old places. You lawns look great! Creativity

[LWNMWR1]

here are some stripes

[LWNMWR1]

some more stripes

[LWNMWR1]

here's some turkeys

[bad_chad48]

Greenquest,
What kind of mower did you use to make those curvy stripes? a regular riding mower or your ztr?
Great job!!!

[FrankenScagMachines]

You like curves now huh LOL
these done with my 32" Toro RER and striping roller. I beleive it would be easier to do the curve with the Toro rear engine rider than my Scag w/b (hydro) but thats just me..

[Expert Lawns]

I myself only stripe. Obviously everyone doesn't. When i'm striping, i feel that it takes precision and talent, took me awhile to get it down pat, now i love it. but if you don't stripe, i'm sure you take pride in that too. there's no law(n) that says that you HAVE to stripe. whatever tickles your pickle as lawn as you're doing a good job and your customers are happy. that is #1.

[GraZZmaZter]

Why i like stripes:

* Its more professional
* Keeps you awake on rough days
* Circles remind me of when i was 12
* Impress the clients
* Get referrals (kinda goes with the previous one)
* Breaks up the monotony around September or so
* Makes the competition drool
* Clients get more for their money
* If it didn't matter, baseball fields would be cut in circles
* Something to practice at
* Set good example for employees ( gives them something to strive for)
* Causes car accidents
* Hot girls are always looking your way
* Fresh cut grass is cool

OK, so a few of them are far fetched, but i could continue for days.
Does anyone realize their are actually books on striping??

[Expert Lawns]

grazzmazzter:

I liked that post. i got a good laugh out of it. BUT, when you said it breaks up the monotony come september, this leads me to believe that you don't stripe all year, only when you're bored. just a thought. i guess i looked too far into it. anywho, i agree with you on all the above mentioned. especially the part about the CHICKS. chicks are cool

[Flex-Deck]

This is SE. Iowa stripeinghttp://Mowed

[Acorn]

mmmmmm chicks:cool: :cool: :cool:

taste like chicken;)

[rvsuper]

You can view the course I maintain here. (http://community.webshots.com/album/68667192irzNOB)

You can view my home lawn with the OK stripes(but will be better this year(made a chain kit) here. (http://www.geocities.com/peterose275/hlpics.html)

[GreenQuest Lawn]

Originally posted by bad_chad48
Greenquest,
What kind of mower did you use to make those curvy stripes? a regular riding mower or your ztr?
Great job!!!


Yes all lawns are done with my ZTR. I will experiment more this summer.

I do however only do these odd designs on customers that I know won’t complain, some people would freak if they saw that pattern. Either I will ask, or just do a small area like the wavy lines, that area on the side of that shop, there really is no other way to mow it, you can do angles or short stripes but it takes way to long. I think any pattern looks good if it’s consistent. I think straight lines are defiantly the easiest.

Here’s my last one, the pic was taken late in the year and the grass was just not showing the stripes as good as in the spring.


Did someone say crop circles.

(These pics are all here on LS somewhere, but who knows where in all these posts):dizzy:

[The Lawn Boy Pro]

Grass Circles! Oh, No there must be aliens landing!!!!!!:D :D :D

[lawnagent]

Greenquest, this may be a dumb question but when you make those circles, do you start in the center or the outside? I wonder if DIXON makes a striping kit? If not id have to make my own. Maybe bolt part of a mud flap to the back so it drags the ground?

[GreenQuest Lawn]

Start in the center, Of course you have to be EXTREMLY careful on the first circle. Buy the book "Picture perfect" By: David R Mellor it will explain everything.

[hustlers]

Since when does art include
staight or diagonal lines.

There is no creativity in straight lines and
lines in nature look boring.

Stripes are like planting trees or a forest
in straight lines. You cant call that
art, I would call that
a lack of creativity.

True undadultured Nature is my idea
of art.

Sorry guys, not putting down stripes cause I do
them, but it takes the NATURAL beauty of
of grass in my opinion.