matthew horner
LawnSite Senior Member
- Location
- Sanford, NC
First, I just want to say thanks for all of the advice. I'm very thankful for this forum. Often times I find myself spending WAY too much time just researching, all on lawnsite.com
I just have a few questions. I'm getting ready to do a medium size installation (1/4 acre). This will be fescue.
My questions: The type of soil? that is there right now is sand and cay, mixed, in different layers. In one section it will show sand, then clay, another, clay then sand. I know I need to do some work with this in order to obtain a successful lawn. I guess for me to plan this out, I wonder how much good soil, in inches, fescue needs to have to develop a good root system? I thought of scraping an inch or so of clay/sand and hauling it away, and bringing in 2 inches of composted topsoil to replace this, throughout the property. I could do this with a skid steer. But if I can get away with just bringing in an inch of good soil, and tilling it in, i'd do that. I need to take a soil sample, and my local agriculture extension office takes about 3 weeks to do so. I wonder if there is a kit I can buy that is faster and of the quality that I can get good, readable results?
Also, there are surface roots from nearby (15 feet) trees. Should I attempt to avoid these with the rototiller and just get as much topsoil on top of them. Additionally, what should I look for in a topsoil to grow fescue in.
THANKS
I just have a few questions. I'm getting ready to do a medium size installation (1/4 acre). This will be fescue.
My questions: The type of soil? that is there right now is sand and cay, mixed, in different layers. In one section it will show sand, then clay, another, clay then sand. I know I need to do some work with this in order to obtain a successful lawn. I guess for me to plan this out, I wonder how much good soil, in inches, fescue needs to have to develop a good root system? I thought of scraping an inch or so of clay/sand and hauling it away, and bringing in 2 inches of composted topsoil to replace this, throughout the property. I could do this with a skid steer. But if I can get away with just bringing in an inch of good soil, and tilling it in, i'd do that. I need to take a soil sample, and my local agriculture extension office takes about 3 weeks to do so. I wonder if there is a kit I can buy that is faster and of the quality that I can get good, readable results?
Also, there are surface roots from nearby (15 feet) trees. Should I attempt to avoid these with the rototiller and just get as much topsoil on top of them. Additionally, what should I look for in a topsoil to grow fescue in.
THANKS