Advice on a topper

[Charliehl]

Hi,

I want to cut docks, thistles, nettles in horse pastures. I want to cut them high so I leave the grass long and uncut.

any advice on equipment that can do this. So far, a Rhino 9 looks good as it cuts at 300 mm.
I’m just looking for some other options or ideas.

thank you

charlie

 

[RH15LEW]

First of all…how much do you want to spend?

 

[RH15LEW]

And second, id suggest a weedwiper

 

[Nearly]

@Dave W

 

[Dave W]

I think you want an offset trailed major. Hydraulic height adjustment. Will cut nice and high

 

[Horn&corn]

Rhino 9 very heavy but no idea how big your tractor is.
any topper will cut high if you adjust the skids or carry it on the linkage a bit

 

[Moors Lad]

Don`t think many of the skid-type adjustable ones will go as high as 300mm - might miss a bit of "rubbish" as high as that??

 

[Boohoo]

It'll need to be offset if you want to cut high.

 

[Dave W]

Don`t think many of the skid-type adjustable ones will go as high as 300mm - might miss a bit of "rubbish" as high as that??

It'll need to be offset if you want to cut high.

See trailed major above

 

[BRB John]

If you're grass is 300mm tall in horse pasture I'd imagine you've got bigger problems....

 

[daveydiesel1]

And second, id suggest a weedwiper

Is a weedwiper better for docks than a sprayer? Does it use alot less chemical?

 

[DrDunc]

If you're grass is 300mm tall in horse pasture I'd imagine you've got bigger problems....

Not much red rescue, bent, or sedge grass grows that high

Not much else in horse pasture round here. Certainly not productive ryegrass

Anything higher than above 10cm needs cut for hay, not topped

An old side mower on high light skids will be the cheapest machine. Grass growth will come away faster being cleaning cut rather than smashed by a blunt topper too

 

[DrDunc]

Is a weedwiper better for docks than a sprayer? Does it use alot less chemical?

A fraction of the chemical and doesn't kill your clover. However weed wiper needs to be very low to get them early enough with 'correct' chemical

Roundup through the weed wiper before they set seed is my preferred method, even on heavy infested fields

 

[daveydiesel1]

A fraction of the chemical and doesn't kill your clover. However weed wiper needs to be very low to get them early enough with 'correct' chemical

Roundup through the weed wiper before they set seed is my preferred method, even on heavy infested fields

Why not weed sprays? Does it never drip the roundup onto the grass

 

[Welderloon]

Post a picture of what you want to cut to give us an idea of the situation & land type
Topping ragwort, thistles, nettles & docks to 1ft high will only spread them further over the area.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Why not weed sprays? Does it never drip the roundup onto the grass

It does, but in my experience weed wiper is far cheaper

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Remember a topper doesn't really top where the tractor wheels have run, can have an offset topper, but then you need a bigger tractor, or reverse, which is a pain in the arse (we used to do that on an airstrip)

 

[Pistonbroke]

I wouldn't have a rhino for that,ours only does a good job when shaving it low. There's not enough clearance above the blades Does a shite job of thistles, knocks them flat and the blades skid over them.

 

[DrDunc]

Why top longer than 4 inches? Anything above that is unproductively overgrown, a weed, or needing baled

 

[wdah/him]

weed wiper is slow