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Writer's pictureLouise Howard

Topper or Flail Mower - which will you choose?

Updated: Dec 3, 2019

Helen and Louise at Siromer Tractors have put together a short video to help you decide.



Topper Mowers

The topper mower is the classic Farmers mower. They have been used for many years to do as the name suggests - take the “Top” grass off only. They are ideal for cutting pasture after grazing as they will remove quickly the ungrazed grass and weeds. Toppers can cut long grass, brambles, nettles, docks  etc. They are robust and can be used in the higher gear ranges on a tractor.  Good topping will control weeds by cutting off the growing tips of weeds and the seed heads.  Topping grass will also stimulate good re-growth and will ensure more fleshy leaves and increased grazing.

A topper will leave the grass cut in long lengths making it easy to rake up. These mowers are very easy to maintain and the Siromer topper has a galvanised bed for longevity. The Siromer topper can also be offset to cover wither your left or right rear wheel allowing you to get tight up to hedgerows and fences.

In Short - Toppers are robust, can be used in higher gears and do not require high Horsepower to run them.












Flail Mowers

The flail mower offers more versatility. Flail mowers are useful for tough jobs, such as cutting grass on uneven ground, cutting high grass, weeds and even brush or mowing in areas that have debris and rocks. A flail mower does not throw grass; instead it cuts grass finely, almost pulverizing it, and leaves the cuttings on the ground. The flail mower has staggered rows of blades fixed to a rotor to offer a complete cut. The blades cut the grass into short cuttings which mulch down quickly saving you the job of raking the grass up. If a flail hammer blades strikes an immovable object, it simply bounces off. Other rotary type mowers have a tendency to grab and throw the object out of the mower deck if its small enough. This fact makes the flail mower best suited for areas where thrown objects would cause damage. The flail mower is also fitted with a roller which over time evens out your land and allows the mower to flow over undulating ground. If you have humps and bumps in your land you can find the topper scalps them whereas a flail mower can handle rough, uneven ground and they’re highly manoeuvrable in tight spaces. Like a topper it will cut long grass and woody material, but it’s also suitable for short grass such as lawns leaving a good finish if used regularly. As they are more compact than the topper mower, they’re also easier to store in between cuts.


Siromer Flail mowers are available in 3 different options


Light duty - these sit in a fixed position directly behind the tractor and have knife blades, these are ideal for grass cutting.

Heavy Duty Fixed - these are in a semi-offset fixed position, meaning they sit behind one of your tractor wheels allowing you to get tight up to edges. The blades are hammer blades which are heavier duty than knife blades allowing you to cut much heavier material, for example bracken and small saplings. They come as standard with an opening back ideal when the grass it particularly thick or wet which can clog up mowers which do not have an opening back. Also fitted with belt tensioners making maintenence even easier as the belts will wear evenly and they are adjusted automatically meaning you dont have to.

Heavy Duty Hydraulic Offset - these can be moved from the central position and left or right into a semi-offset position behind either tractor wheel, great if you want to get under hedgerows or close to trees in orchards. The blades are hammer blades which are heavier duty than knife blades allowing you to cut much heavier material, for example bracken and small saplings. They come as standard with an opening back ideal when the grass it particularly thick or wet which can clog up mowers which do not have an opening back. Also fitted with belt tensioners making maintenence even easier as the belts will wear evenly and they are adjusted automatically meaning you dont have to.




For help comparing all the Siromer mowers please click here.



If you need any more information please give us a call on 01253799029, to see the different options Siromer have to offer go to https://www.siromer.online/equipment




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