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Vineyard Mowing? Anyone have any experience in this?

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TPCLandscaping

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Does anyone have experience with mowing the rows between vines at a vineyard? i have a prospective new customer who is looking to have about 6 acres of vines mowed about 4-5 times a year.
I first thought to just put a 72" finish mower on my tractor and mow that way but the guy worries about me hitting the vines, he has 9' between vines. He also wants the clippings bagged at each mowing..
my equipment consist of a 61" zero turn and 52" stander. I have accelerator catchers for both, but I dont bag on a normal basis.
I would like to use the equipment i have, but id also like to do this job as efficiently as possible. Mowing is only one part of the work for me to do on this property, and i usually have no issue with figuring out how to mow a property, but this guy has me stressing about the health of his vines!
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
GQLL said:
Walker mowers if he wants it bagged. But for those few of cuts that's going to. e a lot of grass to deal with
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no plan on getting into another mower... if anything ive thought about putting a cyclone rake on the back of my zero turn just for this property. I have a place to dump the grass on site.

rear discharge was the plan on the 3pt finish mower, but the guy really doesnt want the clippings breaking down between the rows. He says there is a chance the minerals from the grass could taint the taste of the grapes.
 
#5 ·
slinky said:
rear discharge was the plan on the 3pt finish mower, but the guy really doesnt want the clippings breaking down between the rows. He says there is a chance the minerals from the grass could taint the taste of the grapes.
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Wow. I have a couple of winery clients and have talked viticulture with them at length. That's a new one on me. I'd be prepared for a high-maintenance client there.

Just out of curiosity, how is he dealing with weeds immediately under the rows/between the vines?
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
PaperCutter said:
Wow. I have a couple of winery clients and have talked viticulture with them at length. That's a new one on me. I'd be prepared for a high-maintenance client there.

Just out of curiosity, how is he dealing with weeds immediately under the rows/between the vines?
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Two ways, directly around the vines they pull them, he then has a walk behind string trimmer set up with a guard so he can mow in between them. Some of the rows he hasn't done any trimming around this year. He says letting the grass grow up around them will slow down some of the vines so they don't grow too vigorously. I am no vine expert and I hope he is since he has over 3100 planted
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#7 ·
Right about here is where I would politely excuse myself on the reasons that I don't feel qualified enough to handle the situation at hand, thank the man for having offered me the opportunity and for his time, wish him a nice day, and then I would be on my way.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
herler said:
Right about here is where I would politely excuse myself on the reasons that I don't feel qualified enough to handle the situation at hand, thank the man for having offered me the opportunity and for his time, wish him a nice day, and then I would be on my way.
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So you never try anything new? The amount of landscaping to be done around this place makes me want to learn everything I can about taking care of a vineyard
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#9 ·
Well sounds like he wants the clippings bag and you aren't equipped for that.

So maybe you give him a quote for discharge and explain you can't bag. Maybe he changes his mind.

I would also write into my estimate that I'm not responsible for the clippings or trimming(if he does not do bare ground control) damaging the vines.
 
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#10 ·
slinky said:
So you never try anything new? The amount of landscaping to be done around this place makes me want to learn everything I can about taking care of a vineyard
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It's like playing poker, here I am holding almost a pair and this guy's over there talking like he's got four of a kind or better...
And granted I haven't discarded yet but he's most likely not bluffing which is how I also know it's a whole lot easier to simply admit defeat, and fold.

When I just know I'm going to take a whooping...

At least as things stand thus far, I'm only out the time spent estimating.
 
#12 ·
You would want a collection system on the mower to do that your talking 4-6 weeks growth between mows and a side bagger is a joke on a half acre here its absurd. Id still be interested in it, it has some advantages one its an odd schedule so there is no particular day to do this. You have an open slot on Sunday or Monday go for it. Two price its 6 acres done when its a foot or more high and he wants it bagged. That's 800-1000 a cut if I was asked and thats a fair price for the amount of work involved. Third you may not have to trim anything since I doubt he wants a line trimmer any where near his vines.
 
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