Recommend A lawn Sweeper

[Dean2]

I don't want to get a bagger for my lawn mower for two reasons. All the ones I have seen seem to clog up real easy, seem to leave a lot of grass behind, and they make the rig very top heavy on side hills and slopes. They are not all that easy to take off and on.

When the grass is tall the mower leaves a lot of grass clippings that I would like to pickup. Has anyone used a pull behind sweeper to do this. How well do they work, and what are the key features and considerations to get one that works the best and is easy to empty. Thanks all.

[Bear Ballz]

Originally Posted by Dean2

I don't want to get a bagger for my lawn mower for two reasons. All the ones I have seen seem to clog up real easy, seem to leave a lot of grass behind, and they make the rig very top heavy on side hills and slopes. They are not all that easy to take off and on.

When the grass is tall the mower leaves a lot of grass clippings that I would like to pickup. Has anyone used a pull behind sweeper to do this. How well do they work, and what are the key features and considerations to get one that works the best and is easy to empty. Thanks all.

I use one at our place and we cut about 3 acres of grass. The units an old Sears sweeper and it works awesome, picks up lots of grass, does a great job. I can only assume the new ones are equal too or better. Peavy Mart and Princess Auto have one on sale. $199
Only tip I can give is when pulling it you need to find the right speed. Too slow and it won’t pickup anything. I pull mine behind my quad and it works great.

[Big Lou]

I had one of an unknown brand that I used for several years until it piled up. Replaced that one with a Husqvarna and have got close if not better than a decade of use. I’ve only noticed speed impacting operation when the sweep is set very low or in trying to pick up a large pile of leaves. I hardly use it for anything other than leaves anymore. If and when I do use for clippings, I let the clippings dry in the sun for a few hours before I sweep. Beats the heck out of handling wet and heavy.

That being said, the blades I replaced in my mower decks do a pretty good job of mulching and no need to sweep. If it’s a heavy cut and clippings remain, I leave them dry in the sun and then give them another quick pass with the mower and they are gone.

[Dean2]

Thanks for the info so far. My blades mulch pretty good too, but sometimes there is just too much grass or it is on the wet side. Anyone have any thoughts on driven sweeper versus friction run, tire sizes, plastic versus metal blades, and type of covering. The cheaper I can get one that works good the better but I also know there is such a thing as false economy.

[Big Grey Wolf]

The only time you need a sweeper/bagger is if you do not cut your grass weekly. Proper mowing is never cut more than 1/3rd of grass blade. The clippings will just settle between blades, plant roots will not die back and lawn will stay nice and green without fertilizer and water. PS Use to own a Sod Farm.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

The only time you need a sweeper/bagger is if you do not cut your grass weekly. Proper mowing is never cut more than 1/3rd of grass blade. The clippings will just settle between blades, plant roots will not die back and lawn will stay nice and green without fertilizer and water. PS Use to own a Sod Farm.

Last summer I cut my grass two to three times a week with a length set at 2.5 inches and there were still times I needed to pickup left over grass. If I only cut 1/3 I would have to cut every other day, no thanks

[wwbirds]

Looks similar to the mechanical one on sale at Peavey mart. having 4 acres to cut sometimes the weather doesn't allow for cutting 1 time a week and it gets a little shaggy so when cut we have piles we rake or run the sweep after it dries a day. Sweep works good in no treed areas but with willows in yard dropping branches all the time it can get to be a pain. Got a lot of use out of it and finally this year I may have to replace as the plastic tarp like material on sides and back has deteriorated due to exposure and the sun. About $20 a year had I not been given it. We used it behind lawn tractor (20 hp) for several years but found it slow going. Using quad the following day ultimately seemed faster. I have a cord on the dump basket so I can empty it while seated on quad or tractor. Learning to back up with such a short wheel base takes a bit of practice.

[gtr]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Last summer I cut my grass two to three times a week with a length set at 2.5 inches and there were still times I needed to pickup left over grass. If I only cut 1/3 I would have to cut every other day, no thanks

You might be better to invest in a little better mower, than compensate with a sweeper. I have heard of lawn sweepers, but have never seen one myself. Another reason to own a John Deere I guess...

[Salavee]

FWIW, I maintain about 1.3 acres of lawn. For the past 15 years I have been using a mulching mower ..first a Husqvarna an now Toro. I have yet to do any thing other than a regular cut. Our lawn is healthier (greener) and there has never been a need to pick up excess clippings.
It is important to use a mower with a mulching deck, not just mulching blades.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Dean2, "Too much Gun" I mean Way to much fertilizer if mowing 3 times a week.

[buckbrush]

Just a note: If you are using a lawn sweep and have a 'dump rope' hooked onto your tractor made sure you take the rope off when you unhook the hitch. Otherwise you will look back to a lawn sweeper doing a cartwheel towards your truck...

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Salavee

FWIW, I maintain about 1.3 acres of lawn. For the past 15 years I have been using a mulching mower ..first a Husqvarna an now Toro. I have yet to do any thing other than a regular cut. Our lawn is healthier (greener) and there has never been a need to pick up excess clippings.
It is important to use a mower with a mulching deck, not just mulching blades.

I actually have a full mulch kit that I can put on the deck to convert it to a full mulcher, not just the mulcher blades. I think I will try your advice and see if this does a better job of finely chopping the cuttings.

BGW

Our place in Calgary we never fertilized or watered at all because once a week was more than enough to cut 3 acres and I was working full time. You are correct about he new place in Edm, we were getting it fertilized too much but we were also getting a good rainfall on it every day or two. That combo made it grow like crazy. Even when we cut off the fertiliser in July it still grew fast well into late fall. It is only 1/2 an acre but three times a week is nuts. Think I am going to go with one spring and one late fall application this year.

[sharpstick]

I use a lawn sweeper I bought from the John Deere dealer. I only use it on the parts of the lawn that growths exceptionally thick and long (Septic field)
I then use the clippings in my compost pile...
I think it was around $300.

[reddeerguy2015]

Can anyone recommend a commercial lawn sweep...

Something that falls between

This:

https://www.deere.ca/en_CA/products/...n_sweeper.page

And this:

https://www.leafblowersdirect.com/Sw...60/p62720.html