Wooded area to grass?

[BobQ]

I have a wooded area that I am going to turn into grass, it is about 100' X 100'. After I remove the trees and stumps, what should I do for grading and soil prep? I have a Tractor,Loader, Backhoe.

I am thinking a box blade would be the ticket, since it is not a huge area.

Any other options?

 

[PhilNH5]

BobQ,
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( what should I do for ...... soil prep? )</font>
Maybe nothing /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif . I think you'd be hard pressed to find better soil than that in a forest. Years worth of leaves that have decomposed and enriched the soil.

I lived in a farming area of MD prior to moving to NH. I was amazed at how much better the soil is up here on my wooded lot.

As for grading you could easily do that size area with a garden rake to smooth and level it.

Phil

 

[BB_TX]

<font color="red"> Maybe nothing </font> /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
This is justification for buying new toys, oops, implements. I am guessing you will be having some holes and piles of dirt after removing the trees/stumps. A box blade and FEL will do well in moving the dirt around, filling and smoothing the holes, and leveling the overall area. You can probably do the whole area well with with it. But of course there are many other implements you could also add to your collection for final prep work.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been looking at getting a Rake for all those little branches that seem to end up all over the place. It's just such a pain picking them all up by hand. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

After you get the dirt area cleaned up and level, a log or any real heavy, flat object works great for smooting it all out. Just drag it behind your tractor.

I've been using a large oak with cyclone fence wraped around it to smooth out the dirt before planting, but have recently changed to a couple of oversized forklift forks. These things are so heavy that they just cut down the high spots and spread it over the lows really nice.

Eddie

 

[Sully2]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have a wooded area that I am going to turn into grass, it is about 100' X 100'. After I remove the trees and stumps, what should I do for grading and soil prep? I have a Tractor,Loader, Backhoe.

I am thinking a box blade would be the ticket, since it is not a huge area.

Any other options? )</font>

Same sort of deal with me Bob: Mine is about 12 ft wide in front...100 ft wide in back...about 250 ft deep. After removing the "trash" im going over it with a rear blade to knock down the "high" spots ( I want it for some snow removal anyway) and then "drag" it with chain link and something heavy. I dont want to lose that really good upper soil layer ( I made that mistake in the front yard 20 years ago...)

Instead of grass..Im going to do random plantings of things like Hosta's..etc.