Best implements for putting in a lawn?

[Strider]

Hi folks,

I have been reading TBN for several months now, and have really learned a lot from the folks here. The depth of experience on this board is pretty amazing. My Mom and I have been looking at replacing her gray market Yanmar with with something a little newer and beefier. So after more hours than I care to admit to reading posts here on TBN about what kind of tractor to buy, we just took delivery of a Kubota L3010HST w/ FEL and a 72" RFM. The tractor is just awesome! This is the first time I have ever operated a FEL, and it's like discovering for the first time that you have hands...
Anyway, one reason we bought the tractor for was to convert a 4-5 acre cornfield into a lawn (actually a ballfield for a camp). My plan (which seems to change every time I read TBN) is currently to have the neighbors from the dairy across the road either turn or disc the field, and then we'd take it from there. I originally intended to harrow the field with the smallish harrow we currently have (maybe 4 ft wide, two rows of 4 discs each), and then get a pulverizer and run that over it, and then seed it with a rented PTO broadcast spreader. But then I started thinking about tillers.... I could trade in a nearly new scoop pan and tine harrow towards a tiller. Does anyone out there have any thoughts on what implements would be best for this type of work? I read the thread on harrows versus tillers, and it looked like a tiller might be better for my size tractor. What do you folks think? And then there are landscape rakes... Do I need one of those for this project. I guess I am confused about how these implements overlap in their functionality, and would appreciate any tips or suggestions from folks who have experience in this kind of thing.

Thanks!

 

[Slamfire]

Maybe, but I'm sceptical that the tiller would be any better. You won't save any time, and may get the dirt too fine for spreading grass seed. Gotta have tilth you know.

 

[beenthere]

If me, I would want the field to be quite level for its intended use as a ball field. To accomplish this, it all depends on how "level" the corn field is now. After plowing the field (moldboard plow), I would use a large double disc harrow of at least 12' width, and make several passes at about 15 degrees to the direction the field was plowed. This will get the high places trimmed off and low spots filled in. Some farmers liked to keep the 'land marks' in a field where the dead furrows were, and where the plow made the first pass throwing dirt together into a mound. I have such a field that I mow now, and wish I had noticed it before I planted the field into trees. For you to accomplish this leveling of the field with small equipment will be difficult. With large equipment, it is still likely there will be a need to make a lot of passes.

 

[MikePA]

We just turned a 3 acre corn field into a pasture using full size ag equipment, i.e., full size JD tractor, disks and 4 bottom plow (maybe it was a 5 or 6 bottom, I forget). The corn was harvested last November and the field lay fallow until this May.

There is no way I would use a CUT to do any of this (except step 5).

1. Disk field.
2. Plow field.
3. Had lime applied (soil test indicated a need for this)
4. Disk field again
5. I used my CUT with a FEL to pick up all the rocks that appeared. There were a lot of them! I picked them up, dumped them into the FEL and when the FEL was full, I carted them to the edge of the pasture. While I would have done this anyway, the farmer asked me to do this because he didn't want to run his seeder over them. Some were the size of basketballs. I am still finding, rather my mower is finding, rocks. The first two times I cut the field, I found at least a FEL load of rocks.
6. Planted grass seed using ag tractor and a broadcast spreader. It was too wet to use a seeder.

For a ball field, I'd use a drag harrow after the final disking to smooth things out. Of course, had we been able to use a seeder, that would have smoothed things out as well.

Did I mention I wouldn't use a CUT to do any of this? As it was, it took the farmer, on his full sized JD, about 3 hours to work the field (plow or disk). Again this was with at least a 4 to 6 bottom plow. A CUT might be able to handle a 2 bottom plow depending upon the soil. Plus you have 2 more acres. I would let the farmer do all the work, assuming he has the seeder/broadcast spreader.

 

[theboman]

Level is good but if it's level the water stays. Not sure about degrees but a slope is needed to drain water effectively.

Plow. Disc. Dragggggggggggggggg. Then draggggggggggg some more. Lots of grass seed and straw and water.
Dragging the fields levels the surface (even when it slopes).

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>Anyway, one reason we bought the tractor for was to convert a 4-5 acre cornfield into a lawn (actually a ballfield for a camp). </font color=blue>

How much use is it going to get? As mentioned before, drainage is important. Just to give you an idea of the scope of the project that you are about to undertake: My town is putting in a couple of softball fields behind the local elementary school to the tune of $350,000. Now I don't know all the particulars (are they trucking in lots of sand / dirt etc) but you are about to undertake a big job.

I'd seek out a landscape architect or large "design & build" landscape contractor & see if they will donate some of their time to the camp to help you with the drainage design.

As mentioned before, you will want to bring in some big machinery or else you will be at it for quite a while.

 

[hazmat]

I forgot to mention, I don't know what your schedule is, but it is best to plant grass in the fall. I'd plan on not using it untill summer of '04. You need to let the turf establish itself before the kids tear it up. If you are seeding it now, be prepared to water it well all summer.

Also, get a soil test done at your local co-op & then add lime, fertilizer etc. as required.

I'm not trying to discourage you. I just want your project to be successful.

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

If you can get the farmer to harrow it for you with a large disc, you will be that much ahead of the game. We have an 8' opposed disc and sometimes our 95 horse John Deere will spin towing it. That small disc of yours will be fine for a small garden, but it will take you a "month of Sundays" to level the field with it. If you have a landscape rake, set the tines about 1/2 inch up (after levelling the field) and rake your rocks into windrows. I think you said that you had a loader, so you can use it to haul away the rocks. Don't try to bulldoze them into the bucket, or you will make a mess.
Have fun.

 

[MrP]

Strider,

Here are my suggestions:

1. Get a soil test. If you want to grow grass, it is a heck of alot easier if the soil is prepared for the seed.
2. Rent or buy a broadcast spreader (Agri-Supply sells the Cosmo 500 for $259 + shipping) for dispersing the peletized lime, fertilizer, boron, etc to get the soil ready.
3. Add compost if necessary (many farms give away free composted manure) and spread with your FEL.
4. Disk or till the soil to mix everthing in. I'm not sure that plowing is necessary, but if the field is in really bad shape, it may be necessary.
5. Depending on your soil, a pulverizer may be a good idea.
6. Rent an overseeder. Your L3010 can pull one in the 1400 -1600 lb range. This is the best way to apply the seed.
7. Put straw down. You may want to break up bales into laps and then drive over them with the finish mower (if rear discharge).
8. Pray for rain.

It will be alot of work and alot of seat time. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Or you could just disk and spread the seed.

 

[Kodiak]

Wasn't your original intention just have sort of a sandlot ballfeild for a camp. This thread is beginning to sound like a design team for a major league ballpark.