Banking on turf solutions? Advice from Tracmaster about cutting grass on steep slopes.
Mowing banks can be a tricky operation, Alex Pitt, sales and marketing director at Tracmaster, examines the problems and offers solutions
How do you mow a bank? For turf professionals steep slopes can prove a testing obstacle. Key to the task is choosing the right machinery to do the job. Using a traditional mower can prove to be a battle. If a bank is very steep then it also poses a health & safety risk as standard mowers may fall off the bank, damaging the mower and potentially the landscape contractor.
To answer health & safety concerns a remote-controlled mower may appear a good solution for cutting vegetation on slopes. The risk to landscape contractors is significantly reduced since they control the mower from a distance. However, this type of mower can prove very expensive, may be tricky to control, and if it falls off the bank may be costly to replace.
As an alternative some turf professionals opt for a large strimmer, this is a cheap option but requires lots of hard work from the contractor. At the end of the day the bank’s turf will be shorter but it is a time consuming activity for the landscape contractor and will result in a ‘rough cut’.
Instead turf professionals should consider a bank mower specifically designed to do the job. This type of mower, like Tracmaster’s BCS 630WS Bank Commander, boasts a low centre of gravity enabling it to work easily on very steep slopes up to a 40° gradient. With finger tip controls the mowers are light and very responsive making them easy to manoeuvre.
Effortlessly cutting vegetation on banks, the Bank Commander features a reliable Kohler petrol engine with oil and fuel pumps enabling the machine to work effectively on very steep slopes. Twin wheels (5 x 10) are fitted as standard, providing extra traction and stability. In addition, the Bank Commander is also supplied with a 135cm scythe cutter bar, which offers the widest possible cut.
Whatever the finish required bank mowers can offer great versatility since there are a number of implements available to use with them such as: a flail mower, mulching mower, rotary mower, hay rake and mini baler. By selecting a mower that is designed specifically for banks and using the correct implement landscape contractors can achieve exactly the finish needed. Cutting easilys through vegetation the bank mower’s manoeuvrability can also save significant amounts of time while ticking all the right health & safety boxes.
For further information on Tracmaster’s bank mowers tel: 01444 247689 or visit www.tracmaster.co.uk