The Best Way to Brush Hog a Field

Overlap all your cuts to reduce the possibility of missed grass or weeds that could be left behind and cause stick-ups. Look back at the mowing deck periodically for alignment and also to make certain no dirt and grass are building up on the front of the deck. Sometimes the contours of the land cause the deck to gouge dirt and grass. When this buildup gets excessive, the mowing blades fail to cut well.

Avoid obstacles like large rocks, stumps and exposed tree roots.

Mow along the edges of the field, creating a rough rectangle. Make a couple of passes that establish the boundaries of your cutting pattern. Watch out for the tree limbs that often hang over a field around its perimeter. They can cause injuries to your upper body and head. The limbs can also be home to spiders, hornets and bees.

Once the boundaries are established, you're ready to start tackling the interior part of the field. Go along one side and turn at the midpoint and mow toward the opposite side. The object is to create a rectangle that has one side adjacent to your boundary cut and a parallel side in the middle of the field. Don't worry if the other two sides of this rectangle are over previously mowed areas.

Now make a pass inside this rectangle, adjacent to your boundary cut. Turn and make a pass outside this rectangle, adjacent to the cut you made in the middle of the field. Continuing to mow in this manner cuts the field with a series of rectangles and is similar to the technique used by Zamboni drivers cleaning an ice skating rink. A link to a diagram of this approach is provided in the resources section of this article.

Contours and slopes might alter the cutting pattern somewhat, but it isn't necessary to make each pass in a clean rectangle. Be careful not to mow parallel to the slope of a hill because it could cause the tractor to roll. Instead, alter your cutting path to mow hills in a direction that is perpendicular to the slope.