Brush hog newbie question

Am I correct in thinking the PTO on a TO-30 won't spin unless the tractor is in gear and moving?

If I need to brush hog the edge of a wooded area and don't have maneuvering room for the tractor, I wouldn't be able to back the mower into an area and let it cut, then reposition, true?

Any advice for this scenario? I found another TO-30 in better shape than the previous one I posted questions about and plan to test drive it tomorrow afternoon.

I haven't operated a tractor in years, and when I did, it was a late 70's or early 80's Ford with independent PTO. We could clear underbrush around a tight tree line by backing it in between the trees and letting the brush hog run while sitting still.

The tractor need not be moving for the PTO to spin. But the clutch must be released for the PTO to spin. i.e. the gearing can be in neutral so the tractor is stationary but power still goes to the PTO.

You are correct that live PTO is much easier for certain situations. But with my TO30 I often do something like you describe by backing in while cutting, push in the clutch, hit brakes, pop it into neutral, release clutch to put power back to blades. Momentum will keep the blades spinning long enough to do that without them slowing down much. To leave, push in clutch, wait a moment, put in gear, release clutch and drive out.

Live PTO is better. But I can do what needs to be done with my TO30. It becomes a natural flow of movement I don't even think about. Someone casually watching might not realize that I don't have live PTO.

And overrunning clutch (ORC) is necessary for this, as otherwise the momentum from the mower keeps the internal PTO turning, which connects to tractor's internal gearing. But with a good ORC the mower will idle with it's own momentum (briefly), but the movement inside the tractor will stop, and then you can shift, etc.

An ORC is always important when mowing with a TO30 in my opinion.

You are correct that when the ferguson to30 is in gear and the clutch is released and moving the pto will spin. But, the pto will still spin
when the tractor is in neutral and the clutch it out or not pressed in the pto will spin then too.

AH! I forgot about neutral.....thanks guys. I have an ORC on my short list of required kit. Thanks for the input.