iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Making A Yard

Started by DWyatt, May 16, 2022, 08:20:04 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

DWyatt

The time has finally come to get the yard planted around the house we built last year. This past week it was finally dry so I had a busy weekend getting things all prepped before the rain started last night. Living on "the ridge" as it's known around here has it's challenges, mainly that bedrock is 8"-12" down from the surface. Dad has an old TSC tiller for his tractor that I used to prep everything, breaking two welds in the process. Das has always referred to that tiller as the demo machine because it's his cheapest attachment and it is been ABUSED then welded back together and abused some more and it just keeps going

Saturday I worked through the front yard getting dirt graded around the sidewalk I poured a couple weeks ago and getting everything prepped for seed. Here's the result after about 6 hours of work Saturday.



 

Sunday was a doozie, about 8 hours and the sun was all the way on the whole time and it was HOT (for Ohio). I has a lot of dirt to haul around to backfill around the patio that I poured at the same time as the front sidewalk.



 



 

Where you see that there was grass tilled up on the left side in the picture below is the natural grade around the house, everything around the house is backfilled about 24".



 

Note to self, when you have 70 lbs of grass seed and the same amount of fertilizer to put down, don't do it with one of those little hand crank spreaders. My left forearm feels like it's going to explode. My process is to till everything up, grade with the tractor and homemade grading attachment, drag, seed, drag again, then roll. All in all, I seeded about 0.65 acres and I'm definitely ready to be back at the office job. Evenings this week will consist of family bonding time picking up rocks, there's so many.

samandothers

That looks like a lot of work!  I see a push rotary spreader in your future!  Will you put straw down to help retain some moisture? 

Sedgehammer

You have flat ground , so shouldn't be too many wash outs

For best results you'll need to keep the ground damp all the time until it's sprouted and about a 1" high . Those seeds are so small , that if the ground dries out , there's not much moisture in the seed , so it easily dries out and dies

I've put in many , many yards when we had our lawn n landscape service . Easily the #1 failure was the top layer of the firt drying out and killing the seed . Depending on the size of the yard and the exsiting irrigation if any , lead to many hoses and sprinklers set ups
Necessity is the engine of drive

DWyatt

The total area is just over half an acre. I thought about using straw, but the only way to do it is with matting which is far too much money. I will bank on the rain that is forecasted for the next week. Another struggle with "The Ridge" is that there's no trees and the wind always blows, normally pretty strong. Straw would be an absolute disaster. There was a decent amount of grass that was tilled up that should help to keep the moisture at the surface. The bedrock is shallow, but the soil on top is very rich so when I put in my temporary yard last fall, I had sprouting within 7-10 days. If anyone drives by, pay no attention to me doing the rain dance  :D

Wlmedley

I've had good luck sowing wheat along with my grass seed on a new lawn.Wheat will come up really quick and after it is cut it's just like putting straw on and wheat plants will die .Wheat seed is fairly cheap.
Bill Medley WM 126-14hp , Husky372xp ,MF1020 ,Homemade log arch,Yamaha Grizzly 450,GMC2500,Oregon log splitter

Southside

The wheat as a nurse crop is a really good idea, it will use up some of the moisture but the weed suppression and mulching effect will help.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Tom King

Here's the absolute best rake I've found, after trying more than a few, for such derocking.  You can hear it hit one that you don't see.  They come in various widths.  I've spent more hours using one than I want to think about.

https://www.amleo.com/the-original-dura-rake-24-inch-head/p/24SR

gspren

Through the years my yard making has gotten really lax. On the farm 30 years ago if working near the house I tried to make the ground perfect as far as rocks, stones, etc and then working in the seed and regular watering while out behind the barn I would just pick up or bury rocks that I thought the mower might hit, broadcast the seed and forget it and the next year both areas looked the same.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

hedgerow

In my area using a drill or a slit seeder works the best to get a yard started. We have too much wind to keep the straw in place. I have had some luck using wheat with the grass seed. I seem to have the best luck with grass seed by seeding in the fall. Easier to keep it moist in the fall. Keeping it moist is the key to success. 

aigheadish

Looks like a ton of work that should turn out lovely. I like the house too, something about dark colors on a house that I think looks good! Make sure you show us progress pictures!
New Holland LB75b, Husqvarna 455 Rancher, Husqvarna GTH52XLS, Hammerhead 250, Honda VTX1300 for now and probably for sale (let me know if you are interested!)

K-Guy


Before you seeded it, you should of told the wife you made a garden for her to use in her spare time!!!  smiley_jester
Nyle Service Dept.
A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
- D. Adams

DWyatt

We're doing good with the rain as long as today's rain actually happens. We had 1.6" Sunday night after I got it seeded and have another one scheduled for today. Yesterday we got to enjoy some family time picking up rocks for 2+ hours. Another one like that and I'll call it good enough. My hamstrings hate picking up rocks and it brings back memories when we redid my parents yard as a kid, Dad said it was good bonding time  :D

Spike60

Soil looks good and the grass in the picture looks good and healthy. Be fun if you include some progrees pics and how many weeks until first mowing.

My Dad always told me you can't save money buying cheap tools, and I found that applies to grass seed as well. Quality seed yields the best results. Dad turns 93 today BTW :)   

Also have to pay attention to the sell by dates on seed just like with food. Beyond those dates, germination rate begins to drop. Local farm store places tend to have the freshest seed. At the big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes I've seen pallets of seed for sale well past the expiration dates.
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

aigheadish

I have a decent sized yard that I'd love to add some grass seed to to fill in bare spots or spots I've ruined with the backhoe, until I saw the price of a big bag of seed. Man, that stuff is expensive!

Happy birthday to Spike60's dad!
New Holland LB75b, Husqvarna 455 Rancher, Husqvarna GTH52XLS, Hammerhead 250, Honda VTX1300 for now and probably for sale (let me know if you are interested!)

gspren

I had two areas behind my new pole building to seed this year both about 30'X60' one area was where we had to put in a rain water retention pit and the other was where we burned all the stumps and tree tops. I used the same bag of seed for both and both areas sprouted but the grass on the burn site is much darker green than the other area, must be something from all the ashes, it'll probably even out in time.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

DWyatt

I was certain that I had uploaded these pictures, but I was wrong. These were from 5/30, about 2 weeks after being planted. We've had 0.2" rain since then which seemed to pop up more grass (actually you can see that rain blowing in from the West in the second picture). While it looks pretty good, I got to looking at the recommended seeding rates and I think I put down about half of what I should have. I was worried about this when I planted, but it was a weekend and the local coop where I get my seed was closed. So I expect the grass to be a bit thin, but I will go back in the fall and slit seed everything. As aigheadish stated, good grass seed from the local coop is $$$$$. Another 100 lbs should get me good for the slit seeding.



 



 


aigheadish

I don't know anything about seeding a lawn, other than about the expense of the seed, thus my following question... What would be the harm of letting it go to seed from there and letting it propagate itself? That's a thing, right? 

It looks great already!
New Holland LB75b, Husqvarna 455 Rancher, Husqvarna GTH52XLS, Hammerhead 250, Honda VTX1300 for now and probably for sale (let me know if you are interested!)

DWyatt

I'm not much of a yard planter myself, I try to only do it once per house build which puts me at 2 yards planted. I much preferred the process of laying sod when I working for a high end landscaping company in high school/college. My guess is that if I let it go to seed an re-seed itself that it would be a much longer process and less consistent than spreading grass seed. Maybe we can get someone like @Southside to chime in and he will probably have a better insight. Although my mower got sold with the old house and at todays prices, I may let it go to seed before I buy a new mower!

Southside

Is that a fescue mix you planted? There is no harm in allowing a grass to go to seed. The downside is that it will be done growing for the season. But the question is what is the season the variety of grass is and what weather is it in? Late summer / early fall is generally the best time to establish grass, with the exception of warm season varieties which I highly doubt you ended up with. 

I would just overseed it come fall myself. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

DWyatt

This is labeled as a perennial tri-rye blend. I don't remember what exactly the make-up is, but I've had incredible luck with it in the past.

SwampDonkey

I went through the same thing here. I had to haul in some topsoil because there is way more subsoil from digging foundations than there is topsoil. An anywhere I wanted to fill I used the subsoil. The place here is quite rocky all through that sub. :D So anyway the topsoil was all screened and good stuff. I spread the piles some with the tractor FEL and then spread with a pallet with 40 lbs of weight on it. Just drag with the SxS. It does a smooth job and you have a fun ride. :D I never had to water here. This here is a rounded hill, but flat on top, the drain field.

June 4th





July 3rd, first mowing.





White clover, red clover, timothy - triple mix.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

DWyatt

I mowed for the first time yesterday. Unfortunately it has been HOT and little rain so I was just mainly cutting down the weeds. Things look good from a distance, but it's definitely thin. The primary goal has been mostly accomplished, the dogs aren't completely covered in mud when they go out after a rain. The taller grass is the hay field around the house that I had to brush hog a few weeks ago because I can't find anyone to bale it. I know it's only 5 acres, but I just want it to be cut and don't want paid so I'll finish brush hogging it next week.



 

kantuckid

Given the huge grass seed price increases of recent covid years, I have a question toward coated seed vs. uncoated? Brand names seem to be the coated ones. Local seed stores carry uncoated at higher price points due to lower volume sales. 

 The coated has a much lower net seed weight (like about 44% or so, but I forget the label #) but does spread better and maybe a higher % of germination?
I think they use limestone powder to coat the seed.

Which provides the best, overall value- coated vs uncoated? 
Kan=Kansas;tuck=Kentucky;kid=what I'm not

Southside

Generally coated seed spreads more evenly and germination is better helping stand establishment. 

To compare the two look at the "Pure Live Seed" or "PLS" numbers on a coated seed so you can get actual numbers. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

DWyatt

I am bringing this back to life. My grass did come in pretty well a lot of fox tail, but decent grass. Holy cow was it rough though! Spring in Ohio is not a good time to try to get grass established anyways.  I sprayed everything then used an attachment Dad and I made to try to smooth things up. Spent about 25 hours this weekend getting the rest of the backfill done around the house and barn, planting 250 lbs of grass, and 150 lbs of fertilizer. This time I rented a slit seeder which made things go much better. I took the rental back at 9:30 last night then came home and crashed. Woke up to rain this morning which means my timing was good. I hope this round of planting goes better because I don't think my pocketbook can handle another visit to the elevator to get seed and fertilizer :o

It was too dark to get pictures by the time I was done so I will try to get some tonight. 

Thank You Sponsors!