Box Scraper Best attachments for smoothing rutted lawn

[1026R owner]

A small area of our lawn, maybe 30x30 feet, was torn up by a dump truck that got stuck during the rainy season. A backhoe was used to pull it out. Deep ruts, tall grass. Often it's soft there. We're on the edge of a wetlands area. What are the best attachments and techniques?

My thought is to use my box blade, a five-foot Frontier BB2060, pulled by a John Deere 1026R subcompact. Is that a good plan? I'm thinking I should hit it first with a string trimmer to knock down the tall grass. Maybe set the scarifiers at medium depth. I have a front-end loader and a cultivator, also, but do not have a straight blade or rake.

 

[paulharvey]

I would probably rob some fill from another area of the property, with the FEL, dump it in the ruts, the level it all out either with the BB or back drag it with FEL. you'll have a hard time grading what's already there if there's a lot of grass, it tends to clump up badly, and in general make grading difficult.

 

[1026R owner]

That sounds like good advice. In fact, we have a bunch of dirt (subsoil) here we don't know what to do with.

 

[boutym]

I would probably rob some fill from another area of the property, with the FEL, dump it in the ruts, the level it all out either with the BB or back drag it with FEL. you'll have a hard time grading what's already there if there's a lot of grass, it tends to clump up badly, and in general make grading difficult.

I agree. I've been going through a similar process and just filling the low areas and back dragging it is far easier than trying to smooth out what's there. Otherwise you would probably be looking at using a plow and disc or tilling the whole area to get something to work with. Way more work than necessary if you can get some fill.

 

[jenkinsph]

That sounds like good advice. In fact, we have a bunch of dirt (subsoil) here we don't know what to do with.

Make sure this dirt you are putting on top is suitable as topsoil. Other than that I would knock down the high spots some and smooth it over with a minimum amount of added topsoil. You don't wan't to add so much dirt that you make a mound once it all settles out.

 

[Shamus M]

A half days work with a small garden cart and lawn tractor full of dirt and a hand shovel. You dont want more ruts withnyour heavy backhoe filled with a bucket of dirt. Unless of course you want to creat more disturbance. Throw some contractor mix seed down so it stabilizes quickly and your done. Contractor mix will grow in subsoil and won't die off. I have a partial wetlands and have had to do what you did with large ruts.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Fill and roll..

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Roundup the tall grass.
2 weeks later, rototill the entire area.
Rake it smooth and reseed.

 

[Baby Grand]

Fill and roll..

^What he said & here's why:

A half days work with a small garden cart and lawn tractor full of dirt and a hand shovel. You dont want more ruts withnyour heavy backhoe filled with a bucket of dirt. Unless of course you want to creat more disturbance. Throw some contractor mix seed down so it stabilizes quickly and your done. Contractor mix will grow in subsoil and won't die off. I have a partial wetlands and have had to do what you did with large ruts.