Please define what you are referring to as "rocks". anything under the size of a small potato I consider not worth trying to remove. Sure, if you spend a lot of time, you might be able to get them all out this season, but next season there will be a new crop that you will be dealing with. As the ground freeze and thaws, the rocks are being drawn to the surface. I have learned that unless you are going to remove the top 12" of top soil, screen it, and put it back, there will always be rocks in the soil, just depends on how far down you want to look for them. Depending on how deep your topsoil is, will make a big difference. If it is at least 12" deep, you can till the entire surface and then use a Harley rake to get the rocks out. If you only have 3" of top soil, then you will need to be careful how you prepare it, so you don't mix the top soil with the material underneath. Just remember that there will be many rocks to deal with. If it were my lawn, I would just prepare the top 3" of soil and not worry about anything under that level. Fertilize and seed. Once the lawn is growing and you have a full healthy turf, the rocks under the surface will be of no consequence. In the spring, it will be necessary to walk the lawn looking for any rocks that will have sprouted over winter. I paved my driveway 10 years ago and put down a 2' base of sifted gravel. The largest stone in the material was about the size of a golf ball. After the last few winters where we had below freezing temperatures for weeks on end, in the spring I found that a large mound was forming under the pavement. When the contractor came to look at it, he knew exactly what it was. A large boulder that came up from deep below. After they cut out a 5' square and dug down, they found a very large boulder just as he had predicted. I already can see some more of them pushing there way to the surface this winter. I dread the thought of what will surface in the lawn this spring also, but that it the nature of rocks. It is hard to keep a good rock down. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Grass is just another way of hiding them.... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
