How to finish it?

[Rowski]

Well summer is near it's end at least up and over here. Time to plant some grass along side a small brook we lined with field stone. My question is what should I use to get the area ready for seed. This area needs to be smooth, to be mowed with a finish mower. Its about 150 feet on both sides and approx. 10 to 15 feet wide on each side. It is rocky soil but the larger rocks got picked when back filling with the backhoe. I also would like to blend it into the exsiting lawn, so there will be some sod to break up. MY thought was to rent a tiller and till it. Then rock rake it and seed it. Does that sound like the right approach. One rental yard about 12 miles away has a Landpride 15 series 58" tiller with slip clutch. The tiller is rated for 15 to 35 hp (mine tractor is 43hp). I can drive about 60 miles one way and rent a brand new Woods GHT series tiller which is rated up to 50hp with slip clutch. The Land pride is to small according to specs but the rental yard says it is not a problem. The rental yard with the Woods claims you can not destroy the tiller unless your really stupid and not paying attention. I think I'll drive the distance and get the Woods? A few more questions. How big of a rock can the Woods tiller handle comfortably, softball size or larger? Any recomendations of what type of grass seed to use this late in the year for my area, northern VT? Any other genreal tips of wisdom of tiller use (never used one on a large tractor)? Many thanks. Attachments show project.


Derek

 

[Rowski]

Here the other direction down to the pond.

Derek

 

[MarkV]

Derek,

Sure is pretty.

MarkV

 

[Von]

Derek, It looks like you could just run a york rake over it and windrow the rocks to the outside on both sides. Then just pick up the rocks and seed. just overlap the dirt to the grass that is already there.

 

[JonE]

Nice job! I have the same sort of scenario but I have not as of yet lined the swale with rocks. I'm working on it.
I would just use your box scraper to beat it up real good. I have broken tines and bolts in rocky ground with a tiller.

 

[Rch]

Rowski, I've done numerous patch jobs like this. I broadcast some fertilizer usually by hand, use a tiller on it which pops the rocks to the surface so they can be picked up, re-till, broadcast grass seed (usually creeping fescue) and then use a lawn roller on it. Maybe you can rent one at the same that will cover your tracks ( I use a 4 footer behind a narrow garden tractor that has turf tires). After you till it the 2d time it will be fluffly and the foot prints from broacasting the seed will get "erased"by the roller. Minor imperfection seem to take care of themselves. The seed gets lightly covered and dispersed and doesn't wash around with rain. I don't use a cover like straw although you could. This is the best time to plant grass, the weeds don't germinate and you get a stand that beats the weeds in the spring. The fertilizer gets dispersed by the tilling so you can put on a hefty dose. Of course, gently watering, if you can for 2-3 weeks really helps.

RCH

 

[TerryinMD]

Actually, right now is a very good time to plant grass.

The sun is a little lower on the horizon and does not cook the seed. A little clean straw holds the moisture and shades the weed seed. Another solutions is to mix in about 20% annual rye in with your lawn seed. Rye seed will sprout in about a week and helps hold in the seed and soil. Once the grass begins to grow nicely, you can then begin to mow. I usually wait about six weeks before mowing. You don't need to worry about the rye grass as it will die off and the other grass will take its place. my .02 worth...

 

[Boondox]

I'm with Von on the low tech approach. Come on, Derek, this is Vermont! Toss seed on the ground and it grows...at least in the years we have water. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[DDT]

Rowski
Do any rental yards have a pulverizer in your area. I got a landpride unit last fall and have probley put a ton of seed in the ground since then. Any way a tiller cost me more time to refirm a seed bed. My tool of choice- pulverizer. the teeth are so close together than it will stop rocks from going under so you can drag all the crap to one spot and raise up, this way your still picking up rocks and ect up but there all in one place. a pulverizer only works about 1 to 2" deep, it make a perfect seed bed and under it is hard enough that your tractor will not sink in the loosed dirt. they also do a great job of leveling.

 

[gordon]

Not so much low tech approach that Von suggested but the most simple as well. Another low tech approach is some chainlink fence dragged behind the tractor. Or an old boxspring also works good on the lowtech side of things.

You would be surprised how well the chain link would do after running the rookrake through it. Blends in that dirt very well into the existing sod. Tiller is overkill in my opinion.

My two cents
Gordon