Consider a Gang Reel Mower

Do you have a lot of mowing to do--2, 3, 4 acres, or more? Then you're probably aware of the costs involved. Whether you hire a lawn maintenance company or do it yourself, bills, time and/or equipment can set you back. ProMow to the rescue. They have a line of gang reel mowers that are priced to suit any budget.

The Model 501 consists of five 2-ft.-wide reel mowers staggered three in the back and two in front to yield an 8-ft. cutting width. The mowers are mounted on a heavy-gauge square-stock steel frame that is articulated to allow the mowers to follow the contours of the ground. The two outboard mowing heads can be lifted and locked into place for compact storage. Although this equipment is well-made, it weighs just 325 pounds. We tested it with an 11-hp riding mower, a 17-hp lawn tractor and a 25-hp garden tractor. All pulled the gang on flat ground without any trouble, but on steep inclines the riding mower lost traction quickly and the lawn tractor lost traction occasionally. So if you have hilly property you'll need a garden tractor to pull this mower reliably.

Cutting height can be adjusted between 3/4 and 2-7/8 in. To change the height, each head has to be moved. It took about 20 minutes to do all five the second time we tried. At each height the mower worked well when it was cutting grass. But weeds, particularly dandelions, were a different matter. The long stems tended to be bent over by the mower instead of being cut. We had the best results when we cut the grass low and frequently.

This gang reel mower is worth considering for relatively even ground that is for the most part free of weeds. The company sells other models ranging in width from 44 in. to 11 ft. The 501 costs $2545 directly from ProMow, 8318 Clinton Park Dr., Fort Wayne, IN 46825.