New Lawn on 3 acres in Central Ohio with Compact Tractor

[rhatfiel]

This forum has been incredibly helpful in helping make recommendations for a tractor to buy to maintain our new property. I have also read through the other posts folks have asked about how to plant new grass seed for similar situations as us. I would like to share my specific situation to get further help to add to my consideration in addition to the posts I have read already from others.

We just built a house on 3.4 acres that was finished late September in Central Ohio. Due to our driveway not being put in until October and backfilling to the driveway not occurring until early November, we missed putting down grass seed this fall and would like to do it first thing this spring.

I have a LS XJ2025 with a FEL, 60 box blade, and 48 rotary cutter. I plan to cut what is out from the disturbed areas (mix of weeds, wild parsnip, etc.) as low as possible with the rotary cutter and then rent a tiller to go over everything to prep for seed.

Couple thoughts/questions:
1) Around the house is pretty much Ohio clay. I have heard mixed thoughts about just tilling the clay and laying seed vs. tilling in some organic matter. Seems like folks are split on whether the organic matter is needed or not.
2) Our septic tank sits pretty high as does our leech field. I would like to put some topsoil between the tank and field (the photos below are a bit hard to see, but it is about a 3 foot drop in between the two). I would also like to put some extra top soil at the edge of the leech field close to the house to soften it a bit. Any concerns?
3) Grass seed we plan to put down is a mix of perennial rye and KY31 fescue. After tilling, should we also rent a landscape rake, and roller? Anything else?
4) We have buried drain lines from the downspouts. Some are no more than 2-3” below grade. Should we till lightly over these or just avoid? How deep should we till elsewhere?

What am I missing? Photos below. One of the photos is from the summer showing the current growth I would like to get rid of the put in grass

 

[ovrszd]

A year ago I was in your position. I waited until Spring. Then I chickened out and waited until Fall. My fear was a drought mid Summer.

If you have plans to add topsoil you need to get that done now before everything freezes up. That gives the soil time to bond to it's new home.

I established my soil type and elevation last Fall. This past Spring I rototilled the area and dragged a leveling harrow over it many, many times. Then mid Summer I tilled it again and leveled again. This added organic material from the wild growth that was trying to establish. I had access to very rich topsoil so things grew quickly.

Last Fall around the 1st of September I rototilled again and harrowed many, many times again. I broadcast my seed because I had a rear mounted PTO seeder that worked great on my little JD. I used what's locally called "Quick Green" seed mix. Multiple varieties of Fescue and Rye plus Bluegrass. I harrowed it in.

I have right at an acre of area. I used 300lbs of seed. My Nephew runs a Sod farm. When I asked him about the rate he suggested 300lb per acre. When I questioned that he asked if I wanted a yard or a pasture.

We didn't get any moisture for three weeks. Nothing grew. I was very depressed about it. Rick said quit looking at it...

Finally it started raining. I have an excellent stand. I didn't mow it, just let it grow up for Winter. Again, at Rick's suggestion.

It appears to be well established with no erosion issues. I expect to have an excellent yard next Summer.

I can't stress this enough. Have patience with the preparation of your area. When leveling repetition is your friend. Work, work, work. Try to eliminate every uneven place you can. You will be mowing this the rest of your days of owning the property.

Lastly, I think a Culti packer would be a good tool. Rick says he harrows in his sod fields, then runs a roller over them. Because that's what equipment he has. He says a Culti packer will embed your broadcast seed and give it one last leveling. No need for harrowing in the seed.

He also says if you can put your thumb on the ground and not cover a seed, you didn't put on a high enough rate.

 

[jeff9366]

We built a house in Central Ohio.

It will aid your correspondents if you add your location, CENTAL OHIO, to your T-B-N PROFILE.

 

[jeff9366]

rhatfiel

Couple thoughts/questions:
1) Around the house is pretty much Ohio clay. I have heard mixed thoughts about just tilling the clay and laying seed vs. tilling in some organic matter. Seems like folks are split on whether the organic matter is needed or not.

Visit your county ag agent to get a soil test bag and directions for collecting dirt. Tell agent you intend to plant turf grass. Clay is usually acid. Turf generally like lime and/or gypsum. Test results will tell you exactly what you need or do not need. Soil tests are <$10.00. Inquire if addition of gypsum will improve clay tilth.

3) Grass seed we plan to put down is a mix of perennial rye and KY31 fescue. After tilling, should we also rent a landscape rake, and roller?

Inadvisable to roll clay unless it is rich in organic matter. Compacing clay soil will squeeze outl the oxygen and lead to drainage problems. For smoothing consider a Chain Harrow adjusted to its least aggrressive position or an improvised drag. Drags are fully articulated, so they do not move up and down as tractor wheels encounter bumps and indentations.

4) We have buried drain lines from the downspouts. Some are no more than 2-3 below grade. Should we till lightly over these or just avoid? How deep should we till elsewhere?

Can your clay "perc" the rain runoff? Perhaps you will need a long, perforated pipe underground to spread out perc.

 

[fried1765]

A year ago I was in your position. I waited until Spring. Then I chickened out and waited until Fall. My fear was a drought mid Summer.

If you have plans to add topsoil you need to get that done now before everything freezes up. That gives the soil time to bond to it's new home.

I established my soil type and elevation last Fall. This past Spring I rototilled the area and dragged a leveling harrow over it many, many times. Then mid Summer I tilled it again and leveled again. This added organic material from the wild growth that was trying to establish. I had access to very rich topsoil so things grew quickly.

Last Fall around the 1st of September I rototilled again and harrowed many, many times again. I broadcast my seed because I had a rear mounted PTO seeder that worked great on my little JD. I used what's locally called "Quick Green" seed mix. Multiple varieties of Fescue and Rye plus Bluegrass. I harrowed it in.

I have right at an acre of area. I used 300lbs of seed. My Nephew runs a Sod farm. When I asked him about the rate he suggested 300lb per acre. When I questioned that he asked if I wanted a yard or a pasture.

We didn't get any moisture for three weeks. Nothing grew. I was very depressed about it. Rick said quit looking at it...

Finally it started raining. I have an excellent stand. I didn't mow it, just let it grow up for Winter. Again, at Rick's suggestion.

It appears to be well established with no erosion issues. I expect to have an excellent yard next Summer.

I can't stress this enough. Have patience with the preparation of your area. When leveling repetition is your friend. Work, work, work. Try to eliminate every uneven place you can. You will be mowing this the rest of your days of owning the property.

Lastly, I think a Culti packer would be a good tool. Rick says he harrows in his sod fields, then runs a roller over them. Because that's what equipment he has. He says a Culti packer will embed your broadcast seed and give it one last leveling. No need for harrowing in the seed.

He also says if you can put your thumb on the ground and not cover a seed, you didn't put on a high enough rate.



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Do not waste your time and money trying to grow grass seeded in the spring.
If you do you, will have a lovely mix of grass and nasty weeds by July.
Fall seeding only!
If you insist on Spring seeding, buy the cheapest rye seed you can find, and then till it in in the very early Fall, before you plant REAL grass.

 

[Streetcar]

Place your fill now. After the ground freeze broadcast your seed. Skip rototilling it brings up weed seeds

 

[sixdogs]

I am very familiar with that type of work and the first thing I would do is bring in a good bulldozer guy in--after the ground has settled--and have him true things up. There are lots of little bumps and hollows that a dozer can remove quickly. The ground needs to be dimensionally flat from several directions after it has settled out. Wait till settled. You can take it from that point but the dozer can make a so-so lawn into a spectacular estate.

For seed, the native grass here is bluegrass so I would put a blend of bluegrass in with the newer turf fescues and a little ryegrass and creeping fescue. It's a standard blend in central Ohio that looks nice and can withstand our summer droughts and occasional poor soil. You will regret using KY 31 because the wide blades of clumping grass are an eyesore and will become dominant in the landscape. You'll wind up with a generally attractive lawn with a thousand clumps of wide bladed KY31 that you can't spray out.

You can do the prep and seeding but skip the dozer and you'll always wish you didn't. Except later is too late because you have trees, etc, planted.

 

[sixdogs]

overszd--Good looking location and a nice barn. Good stand of grass.

 

[Streetcar]

I am very familiar with that type of work and the first thing I would do is bring in a good bulldozer guy in--after the ground has settled--and have him true things up. There are lots of little bumps and hollows that a dozer can remove quickly. The ground needs to be dimensionally flat from several directions after it has settled out. Wait till settled. You can take it from that point but the dozer can make a so-so lawn into a spectacular estate.

For seed, the native grass here is bluegrass so I would put a blend of bluegrass in with the newer turf fescues and a little ryegrass and creeping fescue. It's a standard blend in central Ohio that looks nice and can withstand our summer droughts and occasional poor soil. You will regret using KY 31 because the wide blades of clumping grass are an eyesore and will become dominant in the landscape. You'll wind up with a generally attractive lawn with a thousand clumps of wide bladed KY31 that you can't spray out.

You can do the prep and seeding but skip the dozer and you'll always wish you didn't. Except later is too late because you have trees, etc, planted.

Good comments sixdogs.
What part of Ohio. In southern Ohio bluegrass usually does not do well.grows well in northern Ohio and Kentucky. Agree with upgrade on seed to better fescue

 

[Buxus]

Resist the urge to plant in the spring. The chances of ending up with a good lawn are too low to risk the expense and effort. Grass seeds put down in the spring need to survive drought, fungus, and weed competition. Even planting small patches in my lawn in the spring has usually failed, and that's with the ability to irrigate and weed them. The odds are just too stacked against success. Planting in the fall does not usually even need irrigation. The dew and cool weather do the trick.