What is A Rotary Cutter?
Today’s home and landowners have a variety of options to choose from when it comes to maintaining their acreage. One of these options is the rotary cutter, which is a tractor-mounted implement that’s used to help control overgrowth of properties and pastures that have been overwhelmed with brush or tall weeds.
While often confused with grooming mowers, it is important to note that these implements are not the same. Rotary cutters are typically used to cut through rough plant material - up to about 1” thick - and can also be adjusted to cut at low (1½”) or higher (9”) heights. Once it cuts through this rough material, the rotary cutter will leave the material behind on the ground.
Grooming mowers, on the other hand, are used on surfaces like sports fields as they tend to provide a smoother finish. When looking at these implements side by side, the differences are clear: the grooming mower cannot cut through the same rough materials that the rotary cutter can maneuver through, and the rotary cutter cannot provide the smooth finish that the grooming mower can.
When it comes time to purchase a rotary cutter, be sure to take into account the PTO horsepower of your machine and the width of your tractor’s wheelbase. The perfect implement will reach beyond the outer limits of your tractor’s tires to avoid the tractor running over parts of grass that won’t be cut.
For more information regarding John Deere residential equipment, contact your local John Deere dealer.
Additional Resources:
- What Is a Grooming Mower and How Should It Be Used?
- A Comparison of John Deere Lawn Tractor Models for Spring Landscaping
