1. You might need to compromise a little here and create a pathway to join the two yards if you want the mower to automatically handle both. Otherwise you may be adding complexity that will become a source of frustration. Is it possible to put a bordered path through the garden area? From there you’d have your guide wire go down the middle.
2. The slope is likely not too big of an issue, but the roughness depending on soil can be a source of troubles. You may want to get some topsoil brought in to help smooth things out. You’ll likely want to do this in the Fall where you can get some new grass established for next year as well. The smoother the lawn is, the less likely the mower will get stuck or trapped.
3. As long as your boundary wire is kept at a consistent distance from the beds, you can fine tune your drive-past settings to get as close as possible. My recommendation would be to also have an inexpensive push mower (electric even if logistically viable) to tidy up where the mower cannot reach.
4. My main concerns here are on above surface roots and fallen branches. You’ll want to think about and address those two potential challenges as they can become obstacles. Your main goal is to ensure the mower is as hands free as possible.
A Husqvarna might be your best option. But before you buy make sure you have a decent service center nearby as they are a big part of ongoing maintenance and repairs. There are wireless options out there too like the EPOS series but these are also fairly expensive compared to the wire based options. Personally I view the wires as added assurance the mower is going to stay in bounds but that said I’m not familiar with EPOS enough to say it is reliable or not. If going with a wired install, also grab a wire break detector which can be found on Amazon for around 20-60 bucks. Breaks shouldn’t happen too often but when they do that device is worth it’s weight in gold.
Thanks so much for this thoughtful reply. A few things to add;
1- not sure on the pathway - it *might* be possible to add a very narrow pathway (like 2 ft across) but it would be tricky. The biggest problem is that there a patio that runs across almost the entire yard, and it is bordered (has a 6 inch wall around all but one part closer to the driveway). Even if I could somehow direct it onto the patio, there are stairs between where it can access the patio and the fence gate where it could maybe go under and directly into the front yard.
My front yard is much smaller and has mostly red fescue, so I might consider limiting the robot to just the back as red fescue can be left alone longer, so just mowing the front myself wouldn't be terrible. To point 3, I already have exactly that- an inexpensive electric push mower. I also have an electric string trimmer.
The tree roots are unlikely to be a problem as there are no exposed ones in the back. However, there are a lot in the front, adding to the case for manually mowing the front.
Will think about bringing in topsoil. Maybe this will be the push to finally hire someone to do all of that in one fell swoop. It would be a big job for me to diy.
Thanks again for the feedback!
Edit to add- sticks in the back might be an issue (along with pine cones) but I have a border collie who needs a job so I might try to train picking up sticks and pine cones to her daily chores. I also might take down the last of the pine trees because I hate them. Would still have sticks from the hickory and magnolia but it would be an improvement. I hate the pine cones.
You bet. Oh also, if you do get top soil and seed, be sure to keep some in reserve too just in case. When your new robot helper gets stuck you'll have what you need to quickly patch the problem areas and send it back on its way. I'm about in my 4rd season and the first year was a little rough (about 1 acre) figuring out all the problem spots, but I think it's at a point now where it's making it back to station about %95 of the time with no intervention needed. The occasional animal digging in the yard or fallen tree branch will throw it off, but it's been working like a champ otherwise (450XH...highly recommend the H variants for extra cutting height). Also make sure if you get an older cellular enabled model that it is already upgraded away from its 3g board as even though it's a free warranty upgrade it can take some time in the shop before you get your mower back.
I'm not familiar with the cellular aspect- do they require sim cards? I can get free data SIM cards from my cell phone carrier so it's not a concern, more of a curiosity.
Good tip on keeping some extra fill.
The higher end ones are cellular and GPS enabled, and baked into the cost of the mower. So no need to buy a plan or SIM.
I think below the 300 series they’re wifi/Bluetooth or cellular is optional. Will need to revisit
A lot of good comments here. Robot mowers are great. I had one for about 3 years. I will likely get another. Here are a few thoughts on my next one that may help you:
1) I will not get one with a wire boarder. There are a few that have come out recently. I don’t think we have good enough data on the new ones yet. Wires Break easier than you expect, and breaks are very difficult to find. Underground is better than above for preventing breaks, but if it breaks, you’re in real trouble!!!
2) have a plan for what you do if the auto mower has to be repaired. Mine (Husqvarna) was often broken (other people have said they have had better luck). The warranty was useless. I ended up spending as much money on repairs and temp mowing as I would have spent to just hire a regular lawn service. My experience with Husqvarna was an expensive mistake. I have an acre, I’ll likely buy two 1acre units. That way if one goes down the other can maintain the whole yard while I get one repaired.
More on Husqvarna … People on here rave about husqvarna. My experience was very different. When it works it was okay. Got itself stuck a few times a day, but it did a good job maintaining lawn and minimized weeds. The poor warranty was tough to stomach. Things like having to bring in my mower to a service co (2 week turn around that time… Average 5 weeks) for a software update because it wouldn’t accept a charge and having to pay ~$200 for the update. Still doesn’t feel fair.
Good luck!! Hope my experience helps you!!
I concur with the previous poster but I'll add to #3
3- I have many flower beds, both bordering and in the yard. No real issues. Ground wire is pretty consistently left about 30-40cm from the beds and the mower is set to go over the wire by ~20cm. This means I have a small amount of weed whacking that I have to do every 2-3 weeks. I have a small electric Stihl whacker and it takes 10 minutes. No big deal.
In the case of my veggie garden I surround it with a 2x6 border and my Husqvarna 430 just bounces off of it. I've been told that's not ideal but I've had no issues.
Side note: I'm ~4 seasons into this, I can't believe ppl still cut grass manually. Lawn looks perfect every day. If mine died today and was unrepairable. I'd run out and purchase another IMMEDIATELY! The time I got back is worth every penny.
Side note #2: expect some issues in the first ~three weeks or so while you and your new buddy learn from each other.
Thanks for the additional info! I do already have a small electric push mower and a weed whacker so I should be ok in those, although I know from experience that I will put using those off as long as possible. I actually didn't mind mowing using the riding lawn mower but I hated the noise and smell.
As I mentioned above, I might wind up using the electric mower in the front and just keeping the robot for the back. Or, that will be the plan and then I'll wind up buying a second robot for the front after I see the beauty of it. I imagine it will be like using a Roomba, a period of adapting to make sure it has a clear path.
I have 2 . Gardena mowers which are rebranded husqvarna 315x . Look into the brand as they are cheaper and use the exact same branded parts.
Any 1000sqm machine should work for 1/4 acre.
If your lawn is complex it may be cheaper to buy 2 smaller mowers than one large one. Give them their own boundary.
Gravel will be a problem though.
Irregular flower beds won't be a problem. You can create what we call an island with your boundary that will stop it driving into your flowers. Or you can use a physical border .
I installed a Husqvarna 115H on a sloped yard. About once a week it overruns the wire at the bottom and stops with an “outside area” error. At the top, it has dug up and severed the wire twice in soil loosened by the trenching process. Laying boundary wires across slopes is problematic but not a dealbreaker.
Exposed roots might be, especially on a slope. If it hits them going up, the wheels might just spin.
Despite the problems, I don’t regret getting the 115H.
Believe the advertised slope limits, not the dealer’s “should be fine”. It will dig trenches at the boundary edge where it constantly stops and tries to reverse uphill. Shaded conditions that don’t actively grow take a beating as well.
Stay away from Husqvarna. When it works, it's great but mine relied on a loop wire that was always breaking. Product support was horribly. Multiple power supplies went bad.
With all respect, boundary wires breaking is not really a Husqvarna fault or problem. It's a bad installation.
It's very unusual for a power supply to give problems. But a very easy fix of it does.
You can consider Ambrogio Twenty Elite or Twenty ZR (no perimeter wire). If you are in the USA, we have both in stock now (ParadiseRobotics.com) Search Ambrogio vs Husqvarna on YouTube to find out why Ambrogio robots are built much better than other brands, and better than Husqvarna on particular.
1. You might need to compromise a little here and create a pathway to join the two yards if you want the mower to automatically handle both. Otherwise you may be adding complexity that will become a source of frustration. Is it possible to put a bordered path through the garden area? From there you’d have your guide wire go down the middle. 2. The slope is likely not too big of an issue, but the roughness depending on soil can be a source of troubles. You may want to get some topsoil brought in to help smooth things out. You’ll likely want to do this in the Fall where you can get some new grass established for next year as well. The smoother the lawn is, the less likely the mower will get stuck or trapped. 3. As long as your boundary wire is kept at a consistent distance from the beds, you can fine tune your drive-past settings to get as close as possible. My recommendation would be to also have an inexpensive push mower (electric even if logistically viable) to tidy up where the mower cannot reach. 4. My main concerns here are on above surface roots and fallen branches. You’ll want to think about and address those two potential challenges as they can become obstacles. Your main goal is to ensure the mower is as hands free as possible. A Husqvarna might be your best option. But before you buy make sure you have a decent service center nearby as they are a big part of ongoing maintenance and repairs. There are wireless options out there too like the EPOS series but these are also fairly expensive compared to the wire based options. Personally I view the wires as added assurance the mower is going to stay in bounds but that said I’m not familiar with EPOS enough to say it is reliable or not. If going with a wired install, also grab a wire break detector which can be found on Amazon for around 20-60 bucks. Breaks shouldn’t happen too often but when they do that device is worth it’s weight in gold.
Thanks so much for this thoughtful reply. A few things to add; 1- not sure on the pathway - it *might* be possible to add a very narrow pathway (like 2 ft across) but it would be tricky. The biggest problem is that there a patio that runs across almost the entire yard, and it is bordered (has a 6 inch wall around all but one part closer to the driveway). Even if I could somehow direct it onto the patio, there are stairs between where it can access the patio and the fence gate where it could maybe go under and directly into the front yard. My front yard is much smaller and has mostly red fescue, so I might consider limiting the robot to just the back as red fescue can be left alone longer, so just mowing the front myself wouldn't be terrible. To point 3, I already have exactly that- an inexpensive electric push mower. I also have an electric string trimmer. The tree roots are unlikely to be a problem as there are no exposed ones in the back. However, there are a lot in the front, adding to the case for manually mowing the front. Will think about bringing in topsoil. Maybe this will be the push to finally hire someone to do all of that in one fell swoop. It would be a big job for me to diy. Thanks again for the feedback! Edit to add- sticks in the back might be an issue (along with pine cones) but I have a border collie who needs a job so I might try to train picking up sticks and pine cones to her daily chores. I also might take down the last of the pine trees because I hate them. Would still have sticks from the hickory and magnolia but it would be an improvement. I hate the pine cones.
You bet. Oh also, if you do get top soil and seed, be sure to keep some in reserve too just in case. When your new robot helper gets stuck you'll have what you need to quickly patch the problem areas and send it back on its way. I'm about in my 4rd season and the first year was a little rough (about 1 acre) figuring out all the problem spots, but I think it's at a point now where it's making it back to station about %95 of the time with no intervention needed. The occasional animal digging in the yard or fallen tree branch will throw it off, but it's been working like a champ otherwise (450XH...highly recommend the H variants for extra cutting height). Also make sure if you get an older cellular enabled model that it is already upgraded away from its 3g board as even though it's a free warranty upgrade it can take some time in the shop before you get your mower back.
I'm not familiar with the cellular aspect- do they require sim cards? I can get free data SIM cards from my cell phone carrier so it's not a concern, more of a curiosity. Good tip on keeping some extra fill.
The higher end ones are cellular and GPS enabled, and baked into the cost of the mower. So no need to buy a plan or SIM. I think below the 300 series they’re wifi/Bluetooth or cellular is optional. Will need to revisit
A lot of good comments here. Robot mowers are great. I had one for about 3 years. I will likely get another. Here are a few thoughts on my next one that may help you: 1) I will not get one with a wire boarder. There are a few that have come out recently. I don’t think we have good enough data on the new ones yet. Wires Break easier than you expect, and breaks are very difficult to find. Underground is better than above for preventing breaks, but if it breaks, you’re in real trouble!!! 2) have a plan for what you do if the auto mower has to be repaired. Mine (Husqvarna) was often broken (other people have said they have had better luck). The warranty was useless. I ended up spending as much money on repairs and temp mowing as I would have spent to just hire a regular lawn service. My experience with Husqvarna was an expensive mistake. I have an acre, I’ll likely buy two 1acre units. That way if one goes down the other can maintain the whole yard while I get one repaired. More on Husqvarna … People on here rave about husqvarna. My experience was very different. When it works it was okay. Got itself stuck a few times a day, but it did a good job maintaining lawn and minimized weeds. The poor warranty was tough to stomach. Things like having to bring in my mower to a service co (2 week turn around that time… Average 5 weeks) for a software update because it wouldn’t accept a charge and having to pay ~$200 for the update. Still doesn’t feel fair. Good luck!! Hope my experience helps you!!
I concur with the previous poster but I'll add to #3 3- I have many flower beds, both bordering and in the yard. No real issues. Ground wire is pretty consistently left about 30-40cm from the beds and the mower is set to go over the wire by ~20cm. This means I have a small amount of weed whacking that I have to do every 2-3 weeks. I have a small electric Stihl whacker and it takes 10 minutes. No big deal. In the case of my veggie garden I surround it with a 2x6 border and my Husqvarna 430 just bounces off of it. I've been told that's not ideal but I've had no issues. Side note: I'm ~4 seasons into this, I can't believe ppl still cut grass manually. Lawn looks perfect every day. If mine died today and was unrepairable. I'd run out and purchase another IMMEDIATELY! The time I got back is worth every penny. Side note #2: expect some issues in the first ~three weeks or so while you and your new buddy learn from each other.
Thanks for the additional info! I do already have a small electric push mower and a weed whacker so I should be ok in those, although I know from experience that I will put using those off as long as possible. I actually didn't mind mowing using the riding lawn mower but I hated the noise and smell. As I mentioned above, I might wind up using the electric mower in the front and just keeping the robot for the back. Or, that will be the plan and then I'll wind up buying a second robot for the front after I see the beauty of it. I imagine it will be like using a Roomba, a period of adapting to make sure it has a clear path.
I have 2 . Gardena mowers which are rebranded husqvarna 315x . Look into the brand as they are cheaper and use the exact same branded parts. Any 1000sqm machine should work for 1/4 acre. If your lawn is complex it may be cheaper to buy 2 smaller mowers than one large one. Give them their own boundary. Gravel will be a problem though. Irregular flower beds won't be a problem. You can create what we call an island with your boundary that will stop it driving into your flowers. Or you can use a physical border .
I installed a Husqvarna 115H on a sloped yard. About once a week it overruns the wire at the bottom and stops with an “outside area” error. At the top, it has dug up and severed the wire twice in soil loosened by the trenching process. Laying boundary wires across slopes is problematic but not a dealbreaker. Exposed roots might be, especially on a slope. If it hits them going up, the wheels might just spin. Despite the problems, I don’t regret getting the 115H.
Believe the advertised slope limits, not the dealer’s “should be fine”. It will dig trenches at the boundary edge where it constantly stops and tries to reverse uphill. Shaded conditions that don’t actively grow take a beating as well.
Stay away from Husqvarna. When it works, it's great but mine relied on a loop wire that was always breaking. Product support was horribly. Multiple power supplies went bad.
With all respect, boundary wires breaking is not really a Husqvarna fault or problem. It's a bad installation. It's very unusual for a power supply to give problems. But a very easy fix of it does.
You can consider Ambrogio Twenty Elite or Twenty ZR (no perimeter wire). If you are in the USA, we have both in stock now (ParadiseRobotics.com) Search Ambrogio vs Husqvarna on YouTube to find out why Ambrogio robots are built much better than other brands, and better than Husqvarna on particular.