# Prepping site for grass



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

My back yard was thick brush when I bought my place. I've cleared the brush and it is slowly coming back as I've been lax on going back there and knocking things down twice a year or so. I want to just be down with it once and for all. So I want to plant grass. My wife wants to cut a bunch of trees which I'm fine with, just not all of them. My main question is since there are a lot of shallow roots from brush what is the best way to deal with them before i plant grass and or bring in topsoil? I will need a machine to come in and dig tree stumps and grade a bit, but will they have to scrape the whole place to deal with the small shallow roots? I would like a nice lawn back there, and not just grass. Just sort of wondering about the process and how extensive it might be. Thanks, Nick.

I can get some pics if that would help.


----------



## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Have someone come in with a root rake and clean up as much of it as possible before prepping for seeding.

http://www.everythingattachments.com/3-Point-Landscape-Rake-Rock-Rake-Root-Rake-York-Rake-s/87.htm


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I've got one of those for my tractor Lone. I don't think it would do anything but clog up and bend the tines; maybe I'm mistaken. I've got a disc harrow too. Theres rocks and ledge and all in between.


----------



## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Morning Wood said:


> I've got one of those for my tractor Lone. I don't think it would do anything but clog up and bend the tines; maybe I'm mistaken. I've got a disc harrow too. Theres rocks and ledge and all in between.


Yeah, you have different soil conditions up your way. No really big rocks near the surface here and fairly sandy soil.


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Sorry to say I have a couple of those well used t-shirts.

If you don't eradicate those roots, most likely they will regenerate and you'll be battling them forever. Dig them up by hand and you'll be sure they're gone, with no loss of topsoil or damaged machinery from the rocks.

Hope you don't have more than 5 acres or so back there...


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

chemicals are your friend:whistling


----------



## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Time for synthetic grass!


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Tinstaafl said:


> Sorry to say I have a couple of those well used t-shirts.
> 
> If you don't eradicate those roots, most likely they will regenerate and you'll be battling them forever. Dig them up by hand and you'll be sure they're gone, with no loss of topsoil or damaged machinery from the rocks.
> 
> Hope you don't have more than 5 acres or so back there...


1/2 an acre. Not going to hand dig. Looking to actually do this. I'm 3-4 years in on my addition. I need to get this done in a timely manner.


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Morning Wood said:


> I need to get this done in a timely manner.


Story a British buddy of mine told a few years back:

An American touring the grounds of [some famous] Castle had a chance to talk with the groundskeeper. He was totally dazzled by the condition of the lawns--nicer than a putting green. 

He asked the groundskeeper, "How do you do that?!?"

Groundskeeper replied, "Well, you begin about 400 years ago..."


----------



## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

My first house had about a half inch of loam on it, so I filled my dump truck up about 10 times with this topsoil from Agway. I dont know what it was but it cost a bajillion a yard. The grass looked almost fake it was so green. It was probably for gardening as I pretty much bought out the whole amount.


----------



## peteo (Jan 8, 2011)

Get yourself a skid steer, an eliminator and a rockhound. The eliminator will take care of pretty much most root problems. Them switch to the rockhound and finally plant grass. Like anything else, if you don't use good topsoil, seed and fertilizer you won't get good results. Good luck.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Here are some pics. There is a substantial amount of roots from years of brush. When I bought the place you couldn't walk back here.


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

That's actually not all that bad compared to some areas I've hand cleared. Looks like you could do most of it with a pick & shovel... and a good chunk of spare time.

You could speed up the process considerably by having a skidsteer or backhoe come in and "plow", just to churn up the ground and loosen everything for hand-plucking. But the roots need to come out one way or another if you really want to keep it from regenerating long term.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

You guys think a disc harrow could loosen any of this stuff up. There are definitely barky type shrubs I have trimmed back that I could see being tough to get out.


----------



## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

peteo said:


> Get yourself a skid steer, an eliminator and a rockhound. The eliminator will take care of pretty much most root problems. Them switch to the rockhound and finally plant grass. Like anything else, if you don't use good topsoil, seed and fertilizer you won't get good results. Good luck.


It would be worth it to hire a guy with the above mentioned equipment.


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Morning Wood said:


> You guys think a disc harrow could loosen any of this stuff up.


Some. I've been off the farm way too long to even have a really good idea of how effective the modern ones are. :laughing:

I'm sure there's a machine built just for that scenario, but I haven't seen it. As a DIY, I'd use a backhoe.


----------



## peteo (Jan 8, 2011)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> It would be worth it to hire a guy with the above mentioned equipment.


I keep forgetting how quickly it adds up. I don't really think about it since we have all that stuff.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

peteo said:


> I keep forgetting how quickly it adds up. I don't really think about it since we have all that stuff.


I don't think anyone around here has that kind of equipment. I'll find out though. I don't even think I could rent the eliminator and rock hound. Looking like the old back is going to get a good workout.


----------



## peteo (Jan 8, 2011)

Morning Wood said:


> I don't think anyone around here has that kind of equipment. I'll find out though. I don't even think I could rent the eliminator and rock hound. Looking like the old back is going to get a good workout.


Any landscape contractor will, not a grass cutter, but a real landscape contractor.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I've never seen anyone running one. I'll ask around though.


----------



## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

How about just renting a big tiller?


----------



## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

Or how about none of the above :blink: ... If done right, scum out and fill. You may be able to keep it lighter in some areas and where the thicker brush, woody stuff is heavier removal/fill then hydro seed it at the very least.


----------



## [email protected] (Aug 28, 2012)

I have dealt with far worse with my tractor and box blade. I just drop the rippers all the way down and float the box just off the top of the soil with the top-link shortend up enough to really dig the rippers down and in. Takes quite a few passes but does the job. Plus once the roots are all dragged out the soil is pretty much tilled and ready to be box bladed smooth and the top soil applied.


----------



## DBRhino (Oct 2, 2009)

Yep.. grub out or push with a loader bucket/skid steer to take out the little trees and such.
Then fill in the low spots with black dirt if any...and then till it and seed it or even hand seed it to save some money


----------

