How about a chain harrow to smooth lawn?

[sixdogs]

My lawn is in pretty good shape but has the normal bumps and bruises. I was thinking that, in late August, I could use my chan harrow to aggressively bust up the dried lawn and dirt to scarify it and smotth out some of those bumps. What do you think?
In late August the lawn is nearly dormant and would be easy to knock the high spots off. I figure to do this just before it rains and at the same time fertilize with maybe 300 lbs of 19-19-19 to the acre to help the grass get going again.
This seems like a good idea so I'm looking for some opinions or personal experience or whatever. Thanks.

 

[Hozen]

This seems like a good idea so I'm looking for some opinions or personal experience or whatever. Thanks.

Really? I wouldn't say its a great idea to tear up your yard and then hope that fertilizer alone will somehow magicly make the grass grow in the spots you tore up. Bluegrass will heal itself to some degree, but in the mean time you'd be opening yourself up to any oportunistic weeds. Other grasses may not fill in like bluegrass and then you have an even bigger problem.

If they are small bumps, a simple lawn roller will smooth it out. If there are larger dips and hills, then earth moving is definately in order and you'll be looking at reseeding some areas at the very least.

 

[DCRC]

I'd do it now. Lightly disc it. Spread the fertilizer mixed with a grass seed and than drag it with the harrow to bust up the the dirt and cover the seed and hope for some rain.

 

[greg_g]

I have a chain harrow, and think it's the wrong tool for the job you want done. They'd work fine if you were smoothing dirt work BEFORE seeding. But you're talking sod now. Chain harrow are extremely flexible, and therefore terrain following. You will in effect perform a very coarse dethatching job. Consider instead using a box blade to scrape just the bumps and ridges. Then reseed the (flat) bare spots that result.

//greg//

 

[jenkinsph]

I would use a landplane/grader or boxblade as mentioned above. Just knock off the bumps and reseed those areas now.

 

[sixdogs]

My lawn is generally flat already and when I put it down I did it right so in excellent shape. I live on zero slope plains-type ground. Each fall I "dethatch" my grass by pulling my chain harrow across it. It pulls up some scruffy stuff and since I do it just before a hard rain the lawn seems to come back better and stronger. I do spot spray but I barely have a weed and that has never happened. Some dirt does get dug up but it doesn't seem to matter and the grass seems to spread to fill it in..
So if some is good I was thinking more would be better. I could oversdeed--have a Brillion--and that is a good suggestion.
I never thought lawn rollers worked all that well but I never used one. Maybe I should just do that?
I'm just looking for a way to smooth out some of thebumps that just seem to happen. I don't want to tear it up since it's not that bad and it's three acres.
I just took advice from this board when I put it down and now trying to get it smoother so I can mow faster and be easier on my mower. Thanks.

 

[TigerfaninAR]

I've read here that quite a few guys recommend a roller after a light rain to smooth out the lawn. Depending on how high those bumps are you could use box blade set up so you don't dig into the lawn just run over the bumps to knock them down a bit.

 

[gwdixon]

You might be amazed at what a good aerating will do. Since the lawn is relatively flat already and aerating is good for the grass this may be your solution.

Use the plug-type equipment and heavily aerate the high spots. Drag or rake the plugs to the low spots.

As you drive over the lawn the tractor wheels will squish the soil into the holes and the overall effect will be to flatten the bumps. A very heavy lawn roller also works if the soil is wet.

Repeat once a month until the lawn is like you want.

This procedure is done at least once a year on golf greens and it works quite well to keep them from having "buried elephants".

 

[whistlepig]

I think the roller route is the best way to go. I don't use a roller but I have some neighbors that are pretty picky about their yard. They roll when the ground is soft in the spring. I do have a chain harrow that I use on the pastures to break up horse poop. I'm not that picky about my yard but I sure wouldn't run my tine harrow over it after seeing what it does to the pastures. For for sure my chain harrow doesn't make the pastures any smoother.

 

[sixdogs]

Thanks for all the replies. I have abandoned my chain harrow idea and am looking for a good and heavy roller. Sometimes I see plug cutters at auction so if the roller isn't enough I'll pick up one of those too.
Thanks again.