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Lawnmower for sloping garden

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NaughtiusMaximus
NaughtiusMaximus Posts: 2,832 Forumite
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in Gardening
Can anyone suggest which types of mower would be suitable for a medium sized sloping garden, gradient is variable, I'd guess 1 in 5 at it's steepest.

From research (ie google) it seems hover mowers are best for slopes but I've never been overly keen on them and ideally I'd like something cordless/petrol powered with a grass collector, an option combo which doesn't seem to exist in the world of hover mowers.

Would a self propelled rotary mower be a realistic option or is the gradient just too great?

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  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967 Forumite
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    That sounds absolutely fine to use a regular wheeled mower. Keep it to a fairly lightweight machine 35kg or under. An EGO battery mower might be good as their drive speed is fully adjustable. I'd avoid a hover mower. A brushcutter would be easier.
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 9,024 Forumite
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    I used to work on a RAF base that dated back to WWII. The old bomb dumps had been covered in soil and turfed, but the sides were still very steeply sloped.

    The civvie gardener used to cut the grass on the slopes by tying a rope to the handle of the (hover) mower and letting it swing from side to side. It worked, but not sure about the Health & Safety aspect!
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    Silvertabby wrote: »
    The civvie gardener used to cut the grass on the slopes by tying a rope to the handle of the (hover) mower and letting it swing from side to side. It worked, but not sure about the Health & Safety aspect!
    Exactly what the grounds staff used to do at the school where I worked, before the invention of elfin safety!
  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967 Forumite
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    1 in 5 isn't flymos on rope territory!
  • NaughtiusMaximus
    NaughtiusMaximus Posts: 2,832 Forumite
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    edited 17 April 2018 at 5:37PM
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    glasgowdan wrote: »
    That sounds absolutely fine to use a regular wheeled mower. Keep it to a fairly lightweight machine 35kg or under. An EGO battery mower might be good as their drive speed is fully adjustable. I'd avoid a hover mower. A brushcutter would be easier.

    Thanks.

    The cheapest I can see an EGO with battery is £500, a little more than I was hoping to pay, would one of the Bosch Rotak cordless mowers be a good bet instead?

    Also I will need to carry it down a few steps every time I use it so weight is a consideration.
  • cranford
    cranford Posts: 797 Forumite
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    I recently bought a cordless and it is very light and easy to use compared with my Flymo 330 hover.

    However as you have found out prices can be as high as £500. A lot depends upon the power of the batteries and how long they will run for. Some also have a mulching device that allows to use it without a box. The one I bought claimed a cut of 230m2 but I think this must be for a lawn that is very dry and just needs a trim. In truth I can just cut a 70m2 lawn on one charge at this time of the year when the lawn is still wet. But this suits my needs and the charge time is 2 hours and I had previously used a cordless drill of the same make and the batteries are interchangeable.
    And the price today is even better down from the £199 I paid to £169 and that includes a strimmer that is also easy to use. WORX twin pack from Argos.
  • fishybusiness
    fishybusiness Posts: 1,263 Forumite
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    Honda Izy petrol, not cheap and will last a lifetime.
  • The_Biff
    The_Biff Posts: 406 Forumite
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    Go for a rear wheel drive. The front drive models tend to spin if the ground is damp. Tricky if going uphill. Large rear wheels give you better manouverability(?).

    There were cheap (£150?) battery mowers in Aldi last week. I think the price included the battery.
    Nice to save.
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