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View Full Version : Soil prep question..


zanemoseley
08-13-2009, 11:22 PM
Ok so this last spring we attempted to seed my new house which is at least 1 1/2 acres of grassed area on clay. They harley raked it and seeded K31. I'm having to do it over again and try it better this time. We're bringing in 15 loads of soil (which isn't really that much on this much land), using 350lb starter fertilizer, better seed (700lb Falcon fescue,100lb annual rye) and using a lot more erosion control mats.

The guy doing the yard this time is just planning on using a Rock Hound and what he calls a landscape leveler (basically a large square tube frame made for leveling). My concern is that since a rock hound only goes about a inch or so deep that it won't properly prepare the soil for the seed since the clay hasn't been really broken up well since March but I may be wrong. Do you guys think this will be enough to give the roots a fighting chance this time.

White Gardens
08-14-2009, 08:06 PM
As long as he is using a skid steer, then you are going to have compaction problems regardless.

You need to till the area as well as possible, then after that, stay off of it as much as possible, doing only the grading and work necessary.

I like to use a mini-skid with a tiller attachement. The mini has less weight as a full size, and when you go backwards, you leave a perfect seed bed.

The Toro Dingo, with the Toro soil cultivator is my favorite setup.

White Gardens
08-14-2009, 08:07 PM
As long as he is using a skid steer, then you are going to have compaction problems regardless.

You need to till the area as well as possible, then after that, stay off of it as much as possible, doing only the grading and work necessary.

I like to use a mini-skid with a tiller attachment. The mini has less weight as a full size, and when you go backwards, you leave a perfect seed bed.

The Toro Dingo, with the Toro soil cultivator is my favorite setup.

zanemoseley
08-18-2009, 02:47 PM
So does everyone agree that it should be tilled to some extent? He definately has a full size skid steer but I'm not sure we get around that, he does use lighter machinery to drag the seed in to the seedbed and then roll it. Do you think the best bet is to till a couple inches of clay, spread the 1" or so of unscreened top soil then run the rock hound over it?