any tricks for smoothing acreage for lawn?

[Doug_Myerscough]

We just bought another adjoining 5 acre lot - very rough. My wife wants it to be smoothed and planted with zoizia grass. Any special tricks to get ground smoothed out enough for lawn are appreciated.
All I know to do is tear it up with a plow and blade it as smooth as I can get it - then put a heavy roller over it. Is there a better (faster) way?

 

[ronjhall]

Power Rake if it's not too rough. Click Here
A Landscape Rake with gage wheels will work good after the soil has been loosened up. Click Here

 

[Doug_Myerscough]

Thanks Ron - I'll check to see if I can rent one locally - that's a mighty expensive piece of equipment but it looks like it could speed the process up considerably.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Doug, I would totally agree with Ron. If you can't find a power rake rental, then also as Ron suggests, a decent landscape rake will also work, but will take longer and require several passes. I've found with a landscape rake that how you have the top link set makes a world of difference in what it is able to do. Tighten up the top link so it is short and the rake will be soft on the soil, but if you loosen it up so it is longer the same rake can really dig in and grab some ground. Different settings would be used for different soil conditions and even different passes. I think I recall you have a new B3030 or similar tractor, if so, then I would say you could use a 7' landscape rake on your new lawn.

 

[slowrev]

Running over it with harrows several times and following up with a chain drag have worked well for me. If you don't mind manually picking up the rocks afterwards /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Ben

 

[johan3400]

Doug, for five acres, I think I would look at renting a landplane. There is a great deal more control with one of these. The Landsape rake will work as Bob has said and the powerrake also. The landplane would be for larger areas and I think would be a time saving device. You may also be able to use a larger fieldcultivator to smooth the area. My only concern for the landscape rake is the time involved. Getting help with a onetime trip over the field may be a good investment. Just a thought and by no means would I say that Bob is wrong in any way.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Doug,

You got any pictures of this land? Like to see how bad it is. For five acres (a lot of area IMO for a B7800), maybe a small dozer rented for a weekend might be in order if it's real bad...But a dozer take some getting used to to be efficient. Get some quotes to have a guy come over with his dozer for the day. You could finish it off with your landscape rake and have a really nice surface to work with.

A Harley Rake or similar on a 7800 might work. They are big and very heavy.....Landscape rake with gauge wheels would certainly work with a fair bit of time as others have suggested. How much time do you want to put into it and how nice do you want it?

 

[JimMorrissey]

Doug,

Check the weight of the rake and make sure your machine can handle something of that size before you lay down your money. The smallest machine I've seen perform with one is a 3130 or similar. If you can find a small one, I'd certainly give it a try. They are awesome tools. Getting it out of your trailer will be a chore....Becareful you don't drop it getting it off and on....won't be easy, depending on what kind of trailer you have. Is your loader capable of lifting the rake clean of the sides of the trailer....something to look into.

I know guys in my area have skidsteers with large power rakes on the front. Might want to see what a "lawn installer" guy would charge to come out and go over it for you. Not trying to say the seat time wouldn't be fun, but just want you to think about the options for such a big chuck of land.

As stated....a disk might be a real good option....then rake it.

 

[ronjhall]

Here is a link to Land Plane. Looks like it would need something more than a B7800 to work. Site says 50 HP.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

What about using a GradeMaster? It is sort of like the Land Plane but not quite the same. It is available in smaller sizes, the 5' model would be suitable for a 30hp tractor.