Anyone here tried to use their box blade to spread compost over an existing lawn? I need to amend my turf and have been looking at spreading compost (topdressing) over the entire turf area. I have about 2.5 acres to do and it will take about 80 yards of material. I have looked into buying a topdressing machine from Earth and Turf, their smallest tow behind runs about $2,700. What I am wondering is if this could be done using my Woods box blade?
Box Scraper Box blade to topdress compost??
- Thread starter dooger54
- Start date
- Views: 14291
I've top dressed areas that were stripped off of all top soil with a top soil pile. Not too hard. Actually, it's a pretty good way to improve your skills.
I don't know where you got your 80 yards figure.
1 acre is 43560 square feet. So, 2.5 acres is 108,900 square feet.
80 yards is 80*3*3*3 = 2160 cubic feet.
If you spread that out perfectly smooth, it's only 1/4 inch thick across that 2.5 acres. What's the point of putting down 1/4 inch of material? (Maybe I'm missing something?) A box blade would be the tool of choice if you wanted to add 4" of top soil, not 1/4".
If you really want it only that thick, then I don't know what you could use. Maybe rent an insulation blower? Buy a leaf blower/mulcher and use the suction side like you would to suck up leaves, but not the bag and blow the stuff around? That would be my option as I have one of them.
I don't know where you got your 80 yards figure.
1 acre is 43560 square feet. So, 2.5 acres is 108,900 square feet.
80 yards is 80*3*3*3 = 2160 cubic feet.
If you spread that out perfectly smooth, it's only 1/4 inch thick across that 2.5 acres. What's the point of putting down 1/4 inch of material? (Maybe I'm missing something?) A box blade would be the tool of choice if you wanted to add 4" of top soil, not 1/4".
If you really want it only that thick, then I don't know what you could use. Maybe rent an insulation blower? Buy a leaf blower/mulcher and use the suction side like you would to suck up leaves, but not the bag and blow the stuff around? That would be my option as I have one of them.
pennwalk
Veteran Member
At my house I have been topdressing the front lawn with compost. What I do is sift the compost and load it in the truck. Sifted compost is the nicest stuff,light and fluffy. Then I throw it across the lawn with a flat shovel. It is a surprisingly easy job and I have done quite a few loads. It amazes me how the compost disappears into the lawn. I only have to rake out the piles that spill out of the tailgate. Of course I am doing a much smaller area than 2.5 acres but it could be done by hand. I did switch over to mulching 2 years ago because I wondered if I was sucking up and bagging the compost I was trying to put on the lawn. I did try cutting out the holes in the bottom of an old plastic broadcast spreader but it didn't work very well.
Chris
Chris
john_bud-
You're exactly right, it would be applied at 1/4" thickness. If you look into any topdressing recommendations using compost, 1/4" is the normally recommended max. Many use 1/8". I would probably go with 1/4 first year and then 1/8 annually after that. It's the only real way you can amend poor soil. What I have is clay, with some loam and sand. It's also the organic way to add fertilizer to the soil.
I haven't attempted to smooth out a layer of only 1/4" with the box blade. Not sure it can be done.
pennwalk-
With all due respect, doing this job by hand would take forever. We're talking 3 semi-loads of compost!
You're exactly right, it would be applied at 1/4" thickness. If you look into any topdressing recommendations using compost, 1/4" is the normally recommended max. Many use 1/8". I would probably go with 1/4 first year and then 1/8 annually after that. It's the only real way you can amend poor soil. What I have is clay, with some loam and sand. It's also the organic way to add fertilizer to the soil.
I haven't attempted to smooth out a layer of only 1/4" with the box blade. Not sure it can be done.
pennwalk-
With all due respect, doing this job by hand would take forever. We're talking 3 semi-loads of compost!
pennwalk
Veteran Member
3 semi-loads of compost! YIKES! thats a lot of compost.
Chris
Chris
3RRL
Super Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2005
- Messages
- 6,931
- Tractor
- 55HP 4WD KAMA 554 and 4 x 4 Jinma 284
A 1/4" layer of compost with the boxblade over an existing lawn would be a tough task to get right. My guess would be undesirable scalping of the lawn in places or much thicker than 1/4" deposits in some areas would be the norm.
Just my opinion though.
Just my opinion though.
morpheus
Member
What if you removed the blade that is inside the BB but left the blade on that is on the outside. Then loaded the compost inside the BB and had it just above the grass. Would that spread the compost in a thin sheet. Only problem would be loading the BB if it worked. Just a thought.
Baby Grand
Elite Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2007
- Messages
- 4,649
- Location
- Windsor, CT.
- Tractor
- Kubotas: L3240GST B2320HST B5100D & G5200H
Would a manure spreader put down a fine enough layer?
pashworth
Bronze Member
I will be in the same position in the fall, but I have 4.25 acres to top dress. I was going to make multiple trips to the local recycling center and pick up loads of compost.
Do you guys think I can spread it evenly with my Woods landscape rake? I dont have the outrigger wheels, but I assume that I will need to get them.
Paul
Do you guys think I can spread it evenly with my Woods landscape rake? I dont have the outrigger wheels, but I assume that I will need to get them.
Paul