My possibly new compost topdresser...

[DeepGreenLawn]

OK, Treegals way of taking out of the box items and making them work for your purposes and then saving a ton of money, ie. experimentations, has inspired me. I think I may have found my new compost topdresser, or at least a mini version to mess around with.

I was helping my in-laws move some furniture they were replacing into their basement and found an old scotts drop spreader. I being the young one that I am have never seen one like this before and thought it was quite interesting. I will try and post some pics. I think it may work. We shall see.

[DeepGreenLawn]

here is a picture of the spreader I am talking about. It has a lot of teeth at the bottom to spread out the fertilizer you know? I took most of them out. I left like every 4th one to keep a little sturdiness to it.

What do you think? I think it will work great for my yard, it is only about 1500 sq ft. But give me a 5k lawn and it might take me a minute. But it is a start.

[jeffinsgf]

Even with most of the teeth removed, I predict your material will bridge over the opening and never work through. Sorry...been there, done that.

[DeepGreenLawn]

you have actually used this for this reason? There is a roller kind of bar that I figured would help "agitate" the product and keep it flowing. I figured the compost will have to be pretty dry for it to sift through. I have just now got the teeth out. If it doesn't work I will try to use it as a prototype and make something more effecient. The basic concept seems to be pretty sound though.

[jeffinsgf]

If your compost is sifted as fine as a granular product, and as dry as a granular product, then it will go through. Now, if you get that far, you'll have to look at volume. The goal in topdressing is usually to put down 1/8 to 1/4 inch of material. How many passes will it take with a dropseed spreader designed to spread granular fert and seed?

Tried to topdress with sand with both a broadcast and dropseed spreader. Neither worked. I had a truckload of sand on my driveway, and no way to spread it. That was years and years ago...still a story my wife tells on me around my buddies.

[jeffinsgf]

This is what you need:

http://www.earthandturf.com/tf24d.htm

[treegal1]

your on to it now!!! the cheapo wagon, its like a drug. the thing about that spreader is size.there was a lesco 48" spreader that we used a long time ago, cost 500$ then??

then we actually spent the money and got a real manure spreader............. it ok if you got the space and manure. we have left it at the "farm" for now.

so now what to do, got some lawns that need 1/4- 1/2 inch of compost........ top dressers....eh. it is what it is.

now we are getting to the point that we need a real top-dresser for residential yards, not an acre of sports turf or golf courses.

lets see herewhat to do, needs a belt for when we lay the mud down, 48 " wide max for gate clearance, self propelled, on a huge wide foot print,electric powered would be nice, nice low center of gravity/ with a flat hopper thats really shovel tall not insane poo flinging high, while we are at it lets make this a tracked monster????

[DeepGreenLawn]

looks heavy and hard to push. what i have would seem to do alright if I can get it to pass through. I was thinking leave it wide open and as long as it is falling it should cover pretty well. I have yet to try it, don't have time to be honest, but I can't wait.

I see where your coming from with the manure spreader treegal, This is for residential lawns of typically 5k or less. Like my own lawn that is about 2k, probably less, there is no room to park a manure spreader let alone pull it around.

I will definitely keep you updated on it though.

[jeffinsgf]

...
lets see herewhat to do, needs a belt for when we lay the mud down, 48 " wide max for gate clearance, self propelled, on a huge wide foot print,electric powered would be nice, nice low center of gravity/ with a flat hopper thats really shovel tall not insane poo flinging high, while we are at it lets make this a tracked monster????

You just described this: http://www.turfco.com/images2/MeterMatic/Mete-R-Matic.html -- except for the power, its gasoline, and its got huge flotation tires, instead of tracks. They've been making these for a lonnnng time. You can find them on eBay all the time for cheap. They may need a little re-hab, but Turfco is great about parts for old machines.

If you're looking to get the job done right, with the minimum investment, then I refer back to the Earth & Turf link above to the ground powered unit.

DGL, I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but your "heavy and hard to push..." comment shows that you are not thinking this all the way through. Let's say you get your drop spreader to actually flow (which I don't think you will). Look at the hopper...you'll be filling it every 20 seconds, if your application rate is correct. My huge tow-behind Turfco holds 2/3 of a yard, and even with it, I spend more time running back and forth to the supply than I do spreading.

[treegal1]

that is a nice machine, thanks for the link

[hunter]

Here one from Rittenhouse. It used to have the Lesco name on it, but Lesco never offered it. http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=2008

this is the only one that I have found that has caster wheels. Most are all fixed wheels.

[DeepGreenLawn]

You make since, again, it as just something that I thought would be a good first project to play around with. Let my imagination get up and running. Even if it doesn't work, or if it does and it isn't practical, it should get my creative juices flowing for other projects.

Plus, I find a lot of enjoyment brainstorming on this type stuff. It keeps me out of trouble with both the business and my wife when I think too much about this and that. A project like this should keep me occupied enough for a little while and then I will find something else. I have an old sprayer I am refurbishing as we speak so that has been fun. This was a simple, hey that might just work, kind of things that I had when rummaging through the basement. No harm done and no money invested other than a bag of compost in a day or so.

Rainy days use to be a good time for me to sit back and relax and tinker on this stuff but now the organics have screwed up my alone time with the whole "you can treat in the rain, it's actually better."

By the way, I have taken no offense, I'm too stubborn for something like that to deter me. :D

[muddstopper]

Save the work and purchase a good used hydroseeder. Add water and compost, agitate and spray on the lawn. Just make sure you are using a good quality finely screend compost. Coarse materials will cause cloggs.

[stimpy]

Look at the Newer spreader I think you could make one out of wood and pvc. Ive seen them on craigslist cheap but never close to home

[JoeKidd]

Where I work they are considering buying one of these in the fall..
http://www.topdresser.ca/images/bluedresser.JPG
http://www.topdresser.ca/

[DUSTYCEDAR]

thinking outside of the box is the trick to makeing some money in this biz
good luck with all the cool ways to spread compost

[DeepGreenLawn]

OK, I have done put myself in a predicament. I now have basically scheduled a topdressing job for next monday. Not only am I not sure how to price, which I have to have figured out by tomorrow, but how I am going to do the job itself. I think it may come down to me just getting out there with a scoop shovel and and wheel barrel and apply "by hand"

I could really use some help on this stuff, and I know prices vary but a basic formula I can run with would be nice. Right now I am thinking just double or tripple my cost. We shall see.

[DeepGreenLawn]

exactly how much does something like that run anyways?

[treegal1]

now that could be built in a day or two, that's very simple. lets see motor with clutch/drive chain mounted in the rear, then some metal cloth over the axle, add wheels and a box......now we are talking

[DUSTYCEDAR]

rent a power broom and spread it with that

[wildstarblazer]

well deep green it seems we have the same problem. I will probobly be spreading by shovel and wheel barow this time around too. Still don't know where to get good compost this way either. Things are more sofisticated towards your end of Georgia. I am charging for the amount of compost it will take to cover the square foot and an hourly rate for my labor. Guesing about how long it will take ofcourse. Some guys charge $100 per 1000 sq ft.
good luck...

[DeepGreenLawn]

power broom? your going to have to explain how that is suppose to work for me.

Treegal, I would love to get some better specs on what you are thinking. I am not exactly mechanicaly inclined but I got a couple of guys I could pass it on to if I knew what to tell them.

[ToniDavies]

The link that was posted above for the topdresser from Rittenhouse is actually manufacturered by Bannerman Equipment. It is not a Lesco unit. This is a brand new unit for 2008 season. We had one unit tested by approximately 10 different companies last year and incorporated all their recommendations into the new model that you see on our site - http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=2008
Nice thing with this unit is it fits through pretty much any gate as it is only
30" wide. The unit has pneumatic tires so it rides nicely on the lawn. It has an extra wide wheel base for stability and holds approximately 200 pounds of product.
Toni
www.rittenhouse.ca

[DeepGreenLawn]

Looks great, if I had that kind of money. I think the good ole wheel barrel and a couple of flings of the shovel will probably have to do for now.

The compost that I have looked into that I will probably be using this go around has peanut shells in it. I forsee these shells staying on top, any ideas of how to sift this or a good way to get them off? I guess they might be light enough to just blow off with a blower pretty easily.

[ToniDavies]

DeepGreen, how about a walk behind unit like a fertilizer spreader but is designed for topdressing material that is fairly new on the market. This is the link - http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=2135 It sells for right around $200.00 would be quicker and easier than a shovel and wheelbarrow.
Toni

[DeepGreenLawn]

"Dry Compost material can also be spread by this large hoppered unit. Broadcast pelletized compost"

where do you get dry compost material that is pelletized? And where can I get one of these if I can find this compost by Tuesday? Also, what is the difference between this and my lesco spreader wide open?

That I think I could handle price wise, just in time it would probably pay for itself, if it works. The compost that I have been looking at is not exactly "dry" but I do appreciate the thought. I really am hoping it will work.

[DeepGreenLawn]

this is a picture(?) of what the topsoil is I am looking at. You may not be able to see it very well. What do you think? The pic turned out a lot better than I thought it would, is it too big of compost or should it work? They sale it in bulk and bags. The last time I went by there they didn't have bulk, just bags.

[ToniDavies]

The holes are much bigger with the Earthway unit. From your photo it probably will not go through this unit very easilly. The material needs to be dry and more pelletized.
Toni
1-800-461-1041

[DeepGreenLawn]

That was what I was afraid of. I also found this supply company. They have a manure compost basically that is mixed 50/50 with river sand. It is called Sod Dressing. I think this may be what I this time around.

[ICT Bill]

You may get a lot of seeds from manure that is not composted right, ask them if they ever doing any testing on their compost? To sell it they have to have at least a heavy metals analysis that you can look at, state law. They have to provide the state required labeling even in bulk

It is controlled by the state as a soil amendment state law says in bag or bulk it has to have the information required by the state.

If they don't have it, don't buy it

[DeepGreenLawn]

OK, thanks for the heads up.

[growingdeeprootsorganicly]

deepgreen,
when we do top dressing we are using between 1 to 2 yards per 1000sf
believe it or not most of the work is in raking it out and not the wheel barreling and dumping, to do a good job on a existing lawn you need to rake the compost in, inbetween the grass blades so as not to smother the grass and make it look neat and level

it might be a good idea to cut the grass short so raking is easier
if you just half a@# dump and spread, the compost will puff up and look like piles on the lawn, make sure to rake it in good with a stiff plastic leaf rake
We charge about 100- 150 per yard to top dress.
Before you apply this might be a good time to aerate first too then top dress
Aerate, CT,Liquid or granular fert., Maybe some mycorrhizae,seed,top dress
and rake in goood!
We like to do this in early spring and late summer if we are seeding
figure about 1 hour + to do 1 yard of compost per 1000sf correctly by one person

[treegal1]

ok so we copied this one this weekend, only really huge, its 6 foot wide and 4 foot tall, it cost me 600$ in metal and bearings. the Dixie could hardly pull it. but it spread almost 2 tons of compost that was real low quality at a time( not my compost) and it did a great job!! loading it was another thing all together. here's the site we saw it on

http://www.emeraldseedandsupply.com/lawn/index.html

[DeepGreenLawn]

Hey growing, I really appreciate the post. You just helped me out a TON. I will definitely keep everything you said in mind as I perform this job. You just answered about every question I could think of.

Thanks again,

[robtown]

The r & r runs about 5 gs, earth and turf maks one a little different for 6 gs.
As for cost I would do material, rental price & labor/profit. I doubt you will be able to find one these machines to rent but i would say it would be 100-150 a day.

[Dean of Green]

ok so we copied this one this weekend, only really huge, its 6 foot wide and 4 foot tall, it cost me 600$ in metal and bearings. the Dixie could hardly pull it. but it spread almost 2 tons of compost that was real low quality at a time( not my compost) and it did a great job!! loading it was another thing all together. here's the site we saw it on

http://www.emeraldseedandsupply.com/lawn/index.html

Treegal, that is awesome. I am sure I am not the only one that would like to see a pic of this beast. I have often thought of buying this product and always stop myself, thinking that if they just made a larger pull behind model.
:clapping::clapping::clapping:

[treegal1]

yes sir , asap, just need to get this POS camera phone "FIXED" probably just going to add it to the phone bone yard in my desk, new sprinklers new phone!!

[Yard]

Here's one I just ran across http://www.ecolawnapplicator.com/index.html
Looks good, no idea on the price.

Deep- How did you make out with the compost job?

[JDUtah]

Here's one I just ran across http://www.ecolawnapplicator.com/index.html
Looks good, no idea on the price.

Deep- How did you make out with the compost job?

That is a sexy machine!

[ICT Bill]

We are fast friends with this company, well designed and it seems almost bullet proof. Perfect for the application, well nothing is perfect. The owner is an absolute nut

It is great to get in and out of small jobs

[DeepGreenLawn]

Hehe, I will be happy to have a smooth running day to get my apps done for this treatment. The compost job has been put on hold unfortunately. I was hoping to get it done Friday but with all that went wrong today Friday is full of finishing treatments.

[hunter]

Here's another top dresser. But it will require a lot of pushing and pulling.
http://www.sportsturfmagic.com/image/minitopper.jpg

Can be found at this link. http://www.sportsturfmagic.com/minitopper.html

[DeepGreenLawn]

got a price? I think for right now I can push, I bet the absence of an engine will lower the cost considerably.

[ToniDavies]

The Walk Behind manual push unit runs $995.00 here it is on our site - http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=2217

Toni

[treegal1]

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=1737

I like B its so nice, love the wood handle

also,
http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=553

[DeepGreenLawn]

LOL! :laugh:

I was thinking A, oooo shiny ;). But B may be more useful.