Grading Prepping to plant grass seed

[Engine Mike]

I have a large lot that I plan to plant grass. The lot is uneven and needs to be smoothed. What is the best way to do this?

 

[jenkinsph]

What implements do you have to work with?

 

[Engine Mike]

Nothing yet. Brand new tractor. Kubota B 23 HP 4WD. Trying to decide the best implement to rent or buy to do the seeding prep.

 

[jenkinsph]

I recommend you rent a tiller or Harley rake if the ground has surface rock to windrow and pick up. Most of the time I use a tiller now followed by a pine straw rake and water filled roller. Fpr lawn areas that need lots of larger dips and bumps removed I use a landplane grader scraper. Just depends on the lawn and condition.

 

[Stonehaller]

First, spray to kill existing vegetation. Then rototill to loosen the soil and break up existing vegetation roots. If the field has not been worked and has been vacant a long time you will probably have to rototill multiple times to get it broke up fine enough for grading. Use a back blade or box blade to move dirt to get the grade you want. Box blade is better if you have to move a lot of dirt. A harley rake is a great tool for breaking up root clumps and collecting surface rocks, but it may not be practical with your small tractor. Try a landscape rake with gauge wheels. The gauge wheels will help get the final grade level.

 

[JimRB]

This tool is used sometimes where I live. Not as exciting hitting rocks as it is with a rototiller. Tractor Pulverizer, Yard Tool 60" Model 51, Single Roller Look for a video at that site or on youtube to see how people use it.

 

[deepNdirt]

A pulverizer and drag harrow is what I use, If the ground is uneven (mounds and holes) the pulverizer will drag down the mounds and fill in the holes as well as rake out any roots/rocks, It won't get 100% of them, I follow up with a drag harrow and then use the pulverizer one last time. I adjust the link so when I lower it only the roller touches the ground allowing it to punch small holes in the ground so the seed will in-bed into them,

Spread the seed, cover in wheat straw, and then throw out a little 10/10/10, and pray for a light rain, ( Not a flood )
Note : if you are sewing grass on a hillside/ Slope you can drag the pulverizer cross-way allowing the spikes to lay out small ruts, this helps to prevent the seed from washing away,

If you haven't done so already I would watch a few video's on the procedure,
How To: 72" Pulverizer Yard Tool for Tractor 3point Hitch - YouTube

 

[lutt]

Don't know what kind of grass your planting, but the replies so far are much in line of what I do. I just do one more thing, I rip the ground as deep as I can so the roots will take deep. Helps when in periods of drought, the deeper the root system, the hardier the plant will be. Drought is not a problem here this summer! Oh the main grass I plant is Bermuda, in the yard or pasture. LUTT

 

[kbuegel]

I used a 29hp tractor to prep a 4-acre field about 3 years ago. Turns out what worked best was a rototiller, but had to do it twice about a week apart. First time through will kill the grass and weeds, but ground is chunky. Second time through the ground is dry and tilling will even out the clumps. Also you may have to use a loader to push dirt around if you want to improve drainage or create slopes.
As far as grass planting, I just walked through the field with a bucket of grass seed and spread it by hand in the wind. Took about an hour to distribute 100 pounds of seed by hand (two 50-lb bags purchased from feed store). Field has been growing orchard grass perfectly well ever since, and have not had to re-seed or re-till yet.

I see people also dragging heavy railroad ties or similar stuff behind their tiller. I tried using a harrow but it got clogged instantly and was not heavy enough to make any impact. Harrows and rakes work on sandy areas or clean soft dirt, but not on freshly prepared chunky dirt and weeds.