Will this work? Smoothing bumpy lawn

[Joe Gremlin]

Here's the deal folks. My property is divided into three sections more or less as far as mowing goes. My problem is with the front section.

The front section is a sretch of lawn which sits between the driveway on one side and a pond on the other. This area is more or less rectangular and measures around 50'x150'. There are a few trees, but otherwise its just lawn. The entire center section of this rectangle has a fairly well defined mound on it. I assume this mound was created when the pond was put in (its man made).

We bought the property last year and bought our 2305 shortly after moving in. When I first started mowing this area I noticed there were a few dips in the mound. As the mowing season went on, the dips seemed to become more pronounced and it seemed like there were more of them. I assume this was due to the weight of the 2305. The previous owner had a much lighter riding mower. Other than the dips, this area is terrific. The grass in this section is different than the rest of the property and its very green and thick and lush in the summer.

So before the mowing season gets started, I'd like to do something to smooth this area out. My original thought was that I'd just have to go at it with the loader and turn it all to dirt, then grade it, smooth it, roll it and replant it. But given that the grass in this area is otherwise perfect, and given that I wouldn't begin to know what type of grass to replant in order to replicate it, I'm thinking I might try something else.

What I'm thinking is to rent a sod cutter and peel all the grass off the mound. Then go in with the back blade and redistribute what ever is there and roll it all smooth. Then roll the lawn back over it.

That's my plan, but I really have no idea if it will work. Has anyone tried this sort of fix before? Will the sod cutter be able to deal with the dips as its cutting or will I end up leaving the low areas uncut? And once I get the grass off the area, should I do anything besides working it with the loader and/or back blade to smooth it? My neighbor has a roller. Should I run that over it? And if so, how much? All thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

 

[Reg]

Here's the deal folks. My property is divided into three sections more or less as far as mowing goes. My problem is with the front section.

The front section is a sretch of lawn which sits between the driveway on one side and a pond on the other. This area is more or less rectangular and measures around 50'x150'. There are a few trees, but otherwise its just lawn. The entire center section of this rectangle has a fairly well defined mound on it. I assume this mound was created when the pond was put in (its man made).

We bought the property last year and bought our 2305 shortly after moving in. When I first started mowing this area I noticed there were a few dips in the mound. As the mowing season went on, the dips seemed to become more pronounced and it seemed like there were more of them. I assume this was due to the weight of the 2305. The previous owner had a much lighter riding mower. Other than the dips, this area is terrific. The grass in this section is different than the rest of the property and its very green and thick and lush in the summer.

So before the mowing season gets started, I'd like to do something to smooth this area out. My original thought was that I'd just have to go at it with the loader and turn it all to dirt, then grade it, smooth it, roll it and replant it. But given that the grass in this area is otherwise perfect, and given that I wouldn't begin to know what type of grass to replant in order to replicate it, I'm thinking I might try something else.

What I'm thinking is to rent a sod cutter and peel all the grass off the mound. Then go in with the back blade and redistribute what ever is there and roll it all smooth. Then roll the lawn back over it.

That's my plan, but I really have no idea if it will work. Has anyone tried this sort of fix before? Will the sod cutter be able to deal with the dips as its cutting or will I end up leaving the low areas uncut? And once I get the grass off the area, should I do anything besides working it with the loader and/or back blade to smooth it? My neighbor has a roller. Should I run that over it? And if so, how much? All thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Guesses; guesses, guesses, GUESSES...
It is probably the excavated material from the pond - if so the previous owner probably had a large wet patch there and decided it might as well be an ornamental pond as a mud patch.
If it is from a shallow pond bottom it is likely rich soil and since it is now piled above the surrounding terrain it drains well - so yes, I would expect grass to grow very well there, better than the surrounding areas.

It was probably dumped and piled up with very rough smoothing, if any.
You have dips because un-compacted soil has been driven on and it is almost the nature of homeowner mower folk that they go all the way to the edges on the first pass and then work their way in (same overlap by same overlap).
Always the same pattern, always the same tire paths, so tracks develop.
Your mower may have a different track width, your cutter may be a different width to the previous owner's mower, so some will match, others won't.


Here's the "issues" I see with your plan.
150 x 50 is a LOT of sod to cut, store & tend to while you level the area.
It WILL dry out and could die if you don't tend it, so at least keep it wet.
What you put it ON could also suffer,,, do you HAVE anywhere to put it ?
Hauling it back and forth ? Depends how far and how much you can carry each trip.
Picking it up & putting it down (Planet Fitness ad).

OK, then there is the volume of dirt or sub soil that you will strip off - as in, "where to put all this ?"

A LOT of variables to consider; If there is nowhere to get rid of the excess material and if you can't devote continuous time to the project you might have to just til it all in, grade it and start over.
Is this a week-ends only project ?

Personally the lifting of that much sod (~7500 sq ft ?) onto a trailer or into a FEL, then laying it out somewhere would likely be more than my back would enjoy.
Then the reverse operation to put it all back again... {Shudder}.

 

[SixHoeBob]

How big is this mound? Is it rectangular in shape? is it your sand mound for your septic system?

 

[jenkinsph]

Some pictures would really help.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

I think I would rent a vibrating roller and see if I could smooth it out that way. If you can fix it without tearing it up I would do it that way. I know this way won't give you any seat time on the tractor but maby you could get a ride on roller
Bill

 

[retiredmgn]

"When I first started mowing this area I noticed there were a few dips in the mound. As the mowing season went on, the dips seemed to become more pronounced and it seemed like there were more of them."

You need to consider, it could be where the bodies are burried. As decay takes place the dimples in the ground become more pronounced.
Don't ask me how I know.

 

[J_J]

Why not put yellow sand , or something in the low spots, but not enough to cover the grass, until you are satisfied with the level. Works for the ruts also. . Have you used a laser to measure the low spots, with flags with number of inches low. You could dump the sand in a pile, and distribute as necessary. There are laser graders out there, and probably something to use a laser to spread fill to make things level or slant for water run off. They are accurate to about 1/4 in.

 

[J_J]

In a similar smaller situation, I removed plugs of dirt, and then packed the mound down. You keep taking plugs out of the mound and packing until the level is met. When you remove large plugs of dirt, and then pack it, it will lower for sure.

Have you ever pumped a slurry of water and sand, the water, will carry the sand and it will settle in the low spots. If water is standing in the low spots, that will give you a good indication of the low spots.

You can also find the low spots with a string, using a good reference for your level, or slope if that is what you want.

 

[jenkinsph]

I think I would rent a vibrating roller and see if I could smooth it out that way. If you can fix it without tearing it up I would do it that way. I know this way won't give you any seat time on the tractor but maby you could get a ride on roller
Bill

Funny you mentioned this as I am going to try this on a few spots tomorrow. I will leave the vibration off first to see if rolling alone is enough to fix it.

 

[jenkinsph]

If the bumps are small and pronounced you might try backdragging with the bucket. If the grass grows as well as you say it should recover within a month or so.

I use a landplane/grader to remove mounds and bumps in my work, with the blades set flush with the skids it down't damage the grass yet still cuts down the high spots.