Mostly level, best way to finish

[meledward23]

I have a piece of property that is mostly level. Hard packed clay. Had various cut weed growth. Some small rock (57 stone size).

What would be the best way to get this seed/sod ready.
Given the following equipment.
Box Blade (Hydraulic Teeth) 73"
Hydrualic rear Blade, 96"
Tiller (82")
Landscape Rake 96"
Pulverizor 72" Dual wheel

Is there anything I am missing?

I have worked with graders for 10 years. I have watched them do amazing things but I never learned how to myself. I can see a grade and tell where high and lows are. But when it comes to me stepping onto my machine and putting a grade somewhere I have problems.

I plan on just getting out and grading for hours on end, parts of the farm that need some work just to get experience. But I really need a better idea of what pieces are best in what order.


Thanks.

 

[BadDog]

The answer depends on what you're starting with, what you want for a finish, how much time you have, and how much you want to spend.

For a good pasture, use your grader or boxblade until your happy with the way it looks (I'm pretty confident with the grader blade, so that's my preference). Follow with a chain harrow drag or something similar (bed frame, chain link fence, etc...) to 'rough up the very top layer. Pick Rocks. Seed. Roll if you want. Hay. Pick Rocks. Mow with a brush mower (fast) or finish mower (for looks). Pick Rocks.

For a golf course fairway, finish your grading, then rent a power rake (Harley makes a good one). Seed, Roll, Hay. Buy a really good turf mower (Toro's are great).

The power rake will get rid of all small rocks and debris(windrows them and you scoop them up with your FEL) on the seedbed , and will leave you with a finished grade as smooth as you can imagine.

The chain harrow won't remove any rocks. It will get the seedbed ready to plant, and it will loosen most rocks at the surface. You'll have to hand pick rocks to save your mower blades.

I have 20 acres that was all forest a year ago. Now 8 acres are really good quality pasture (custom bluegrass, clover and orchard grass mix), very few weeds, no stumps or roots, and very few rocks. I know because I picked them all myself, by hand. No fat on me.

I did one 2 acre field with a power rake just to see the difference - the final result doesn't look astoundingly different after a year, but it took a lot less time overall, and I'm still picking the odd rock from the other field. If I want, I can run a Toro turf mower over the 2 acre feild for a golf course finish, it's that smooth and rock-free. If I used that same Toro mower on the other 6 acres, I'd be spending the next day replacing or sharpening blades.

I expect that in a couple of years of working the fields (consisting of horses doing what they do, my wife picking up their poop, fertilizing with their poop in a manure spreader whenever the poop pile gets too big, mowing every week or two, dragging a few times per year with the chain harrow, and picking rocks as needed) there won't be much difference at all between the two fields and I'll safely be able to use the turf mower everywhere.

That's not my goal, but I'm sure I could do it if I wanted to. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[gregp]

I agree with Baddog. Go rent a Harley rake if possible. I own a T5 and run it behind my New Holland TC24DA. It makes any job i do look perfect. Getting good with it may take a while but even a brand new operator can do a decent job first try out.