BX2370 - Land Pride BB1248 box blade or Pulverizer

[jeff9366]

I just recently learned of the existence of a pulverizer. Got me thinking it might be great to tear up the old dead sod and level that area.

Ratchet Rake.

Functional, cheap, small to store. Ratchet Rake will be on your bucket 50% of the time.

 

[Michael Aos]

I'm looking at the Land Pride GS1548 now.

A land plane grader scraper is much better for a newbie to try for smoothing and I already suggested that in one of the previous threads you posted.

Think long and hard about where you want to go with this before you throw down the money.

 

[jenkinsph]

I just recently learned of the existence of a pulverizer. Watched a couple of Everything Attachments videos and they suggested a pulverizer would also level like box blade / land plane. Got me thinking it might be great to tear up the old dead sod and level that area.

Would a land plane grader scraper be the right tool grade / spread maybe 3/4" - 1" rock for Xeriscaping? I may wind up doing rock across ~3500 square feet in front and ~6000 square feet in back.
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A pulverizer is a good tool where it is needed. Heavy clay soils tend to form hard clumps of dirt that a this tool can break up and press down. With your sandy loam soil and low clay content it is easily worked and do not need the pulverizer.

Last week I spread and smoothed about 140 yards of 1 1/4" decorative rock in a long afternoon. Used the 60 hp tractor and 8' land plane. The easy way to do this is to use your bucket to spread this rock over the area to be covered. Doesn't have to be perfect just in place approximately where it will lay. Then use a land plane to smooth and average it out. Hand rake the edges and touch up for best appearance

 

[jenkinsph]

Since I filled-in the the one area with dirt and scraped the other chunk full of dead sod -- it's now just all dirt / dust.

Was a muddy mess after the last snow. I had been toying with the idea of spreading out some wood mulch until I decide what to do with it.

The city was giving away free mulch (not sure if they still are) and another place offers mulch for $10/yd delivered.

I prefer mulch that has been cooked down to kill any weed seeds off. It is usually about $15 to
$20/yd with some top soil mixed in. Mulch will be lighter and thus easier for you to work with. I would mix in any of the old sod and dirt with the added mulch and till it all in. What you need is organic matter mixed in with the existing soil.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would also recommend you put landscape cloth down before putting your rock down for xeriscapes. This reduces the weeds growing up through the rocks. In most cases the few wind blown seeds that try to grow above the cloth are easily plucked out.

 

[jenkinsph]

Ratchet Rake.

Functional, cheap, small to store. Ratchet Rake will be on your bucket 50% of the time.

Good handy addition to your bucket at a low cost.

 

[Michael Aos]

I've been kind of debating that. There's a LOT of existing river rock around the property. I don't know when it was installed, or when the previous owner stopped tending to it, but has the landscape fabric under it and so many weeds growing through it we didn't even know it was there when we bought the property!

I would also recommend you put landscape cloth down before putting your rock down for xeriscapes. This reduces the weeds growing up through the rocks. In most cases the few wind blown seeds that try to grow above the cloth are easily plucked out.

 

[jenkinsph]

I'm looking at the Land Pride GS1548 now.

That should work or the 15 60 model not much difference in weight and will cover your tracks better.

When I built mine I made the ski shaped ends for the skids to reduce snagging the landscape cloth and should also note you can go forwards and backwards too.

 

[jenkinsph]

I've been kind of debating that. There's a LOT of existing river rock around the property. I don't know when it was installed, or when the previous owner stopped tending to it, but has the landscape fabric under it and so many weeds growing through it we didn't even know it was there when we bought the property!

View attachment 505663

I use a back pack Stilh blower to keep up xeriscapes, they are not maintenance free spaces but properly built they are easy to maintain. The larger 1 1/4" and larger rocks are less likely to move when blowing clean.

 

[Michael Aos]

I've been kind of curious whether I could salvage some of it with a large backpack blower. I've been looking at the Husqvarna 580BTS.

I use a back pack Stilh blower to keep up xeriscapes, they are not maintenance free spaces but properly built they are easy to maintain. The larger 1 1/4" and larger rocks are less likely to move when blowing clean.