Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX

   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX #1  

KeithInSpace

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2006
Messages
1,570
Location
Fred'burg, Virginia
Tractor
Kubota BX2230
My wife wanted to plant a little more landscaping in the front and replace a junk tree the builder installed with a nice Cut Leaf Red Maple. That was the start of the project...

All told, I pulled about 9 CY of heavy red and grey/marine clay out of the flower beds and replaced with soil. I eventually removed every single piece of plant material and moved in some manner. All plants were bedded in new soil.

Augmented existing plant material with about $1,000 of additional landscaping. Installed soaker hose system on timers and topped with triple shreaded mulch.

The entire project, with me working alone, took a long (12 hour) Saturday and a short (5 hour) Sunday. I dare say this task would have been IMPOSSIBLE without mechanical assistance...certainly to do as comprehensively as I did in a short 16 hours. But to start and finish a project of this magnitude in a single weekend WITH LITTLE/NO HELP is certainly testament to the awesome capabilities of the BX machine. And the Woods BH6000 worked like a dream!

That's why I call it my "Time Machine". What should have taken 5 back-breaking days got done in 1.5 fairly easy days. Loving every minute of it.
 

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   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX #2  
Looks fantastic, Keith. Beautiful home.

Have you seen the rubber foot pads you can get for the BH6000? They're just great when you need to plant a foot on the road or driveway. Flip them over and they dig in the soft ground. Other than that, your setup looks a lot like mine.:D :D
 
   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX #3  
Great looking abode.
A BX TLB is like haveing 3 or 4 very strong friends that'll do all your dirty/heavy work without complaint :D
Adding a thumb to that BH will add another couple strong hands :D

Just south of DC? I've got an Uncle that lives in Stephens City, nice area around there.
 
   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I actually BOUGHT a Wallenstein Thumb, but it only fits the Kubota BH. The guy that makes them says he'll work up a new one for me to put on the BH6000, but I have been slow in getting him the CAD information. Really stupid of me. I should do that soon. I rigged mine up for a short time and it was quite amazing. Could have gotten a BorTek that fit the first time. Oh well. Trying something different. It'll be nice when I get one that fits.

Come to think of the "strong friend" comparison...does that mean I can factor pizza, beer, and "thank you" gift certificates in with my estimate of how much money I'm saving through tractor ownership? This project alone, I figure I would have paid at least another $2,000 above/beyond my material costs and I'm not sure I would have gotten the same quality. Maybe I could bump that up to $3,000 now!!!

Stephens City is as far due WEST of DC as I am due SOUTH. I actually used to live in Haymarket, about 30 miles east of the Appalachian foothills. Something special about looking off the deck at mountains. Miss it a little, actually.
 
   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX
  • Thread Starter
#5  
BX2230_Lockport said:
rubber foot pads

I actually heard about them, but I was pushing the [wife's] envelope on price anyway. Using the holes that held the stabilizers to the pallet in transit, I figure I can lag bolt some lumber to the foot and save a few bucks.

When I bought it, I thought it would be a big deal, but only once have I accidentally scraped the asphalt. I may have liked pads over the concrete, but you can't see any of the scratches anymore only a couple weeks later.

I have a wall project coming up soon where I'll need to cushion them from the asphalt. Maybe that'll be a good excuse to go for the good stuff.
 
   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX #6  
nice work! I need to show this thread to my wife as proof that having a BX around the house would be a great investment!

thanks for sharing the photos.
 
   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX #7  
Beautful work! Getting ready to build a new place so always interested in what the Kubota line can do and what is done with it! Now if I could only talk the wife into a backhoe...

Thanks for sharing!

Michael
 
   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX
  • Thread Starter
#8  
KarolinaKubota said:
talk the wife into a backhoe...

I can honestly say that I've paid for 50% of the backhoe already in work I've done myself that I would have otherwise contracted out. And I've only had it for a few months!

I can't begin to describe the increased utility afforded by a BH attachment.

By biggest sell was how much more safely I could perform mundane tasks like pulling stumps and roots. Even digging a hole for a plant is an all day affair with a digging bar if the clay is too dry. That is reduced to 20 safe minutes of scratching with the BH for a 20 gallon hole.

The nicest comment I've heard in a long time was "Boy, I'm sure glad you have that thing...you have gotten so much done." A big deal around our house is the amount of time my wife is inside with the kids while I'm "working" outside. I can get honest and real projects completed in acceptable amounts of time with my machine. Just like you don't remember your life before kids, I don't remember yardwork pre-tractor. Thankfully, neither can my wife. It has revolutionized how I think of work outside THAT much.
 
   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX #9  
KeithInSpace said:
....I have a wall project coming up soon where I'll need to cushion them from the asphalt. Maybe that'll be a good excuse to go for the good stuff.


I'm sure she'll go for it with all the money you'll save on all the more tasks you can do. Afterall its an investment with a return!!:D :D

Anyway, I'm sure they're only $150, give or take. :cool:
 
   / Landscaping Project...perfect for a BX #10  
KeithInSpace said:
I can honestly say that I've paid for 50% of the backhoe already in work I've done myself that I would have otherwise contracted out. And I've only had it for a few months!

I can't begin to describe the increased utility afforded by a BH attachment.

By biggest sell was how much more safely I could perform mundane tasks like pulling stumps and roots. Even digging a hole for a plant is an all day affair with a digging bar if the clay is too dry. That is reduced to 20 safe minutes of scratching with the BH for a 20 gallon hole.

The nicest comment I've heard in a long time was "Boy, I'm sure glad you have that thing...you have gotten so much done." A big deal around our house is the amount of time my wife is inside with the kids while I'm "working" outside. I can get honest and real projects completed in acceptable amounts of time with my machine. Just like you don't remember your life before kids, I don't remember yardwork pre-tractor. Thankfully, neither can my wife. It has revolutionized how I think of work outside THAT much.

That type of information and feedback is why I LOVE this site! Thanks for that! Gives me some thoughts!!

Michael
 
 
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