Landscape Rake use?

[Polkchop]

So long story short I was approached by a gentleman who recently purchased an old nursery, and wanted it bush hogged. After mowing the property he asked if I would be interested in removing about an acre to and acre of half of landscape fabric the old owners had installed, and has since been covered by about 2 inches of dirt, and grass now. I explained to him at this point I have absolutely no idea what would be the best bet, however I would see what I could come up with. I am thinking that a landscape rake may be the best option to try, and catch one corner possibly and just slowly work my way across the property a little bit at the time? The owner wants to plant fruit trees back in the area using an auger, so I am concerned with having the fabric getting caught up in the auger bit. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

 

[Firemanbuck]

I think the 2-inches of dirt is going to get pretty heavy for the rake after a few feet of pulling. The tines on the rake will bend and spit the fabric out. Either leave the fabric in place, and cut as needed for the auger, or use a dozer. But, using a dozer will leave you with a mess of soil and fabric to deal with.

 

[Firemanbuck]

Also, I'll bet money that there are pesticide residues in the soil...up to and perhaps including DDT depending on the age of the nursery. I'd be really careful about generating dust.

 

[oosik]

I have a feeling that most all "removal" processes will leave a real mess. You might want to check and see if the old landscape fabric has disintegrated or is pretty rotten. If so - you MIGHT be able to rototill the area, chew up the old fabric and mix with the existing topsoil.

Actually - if the old landscape fabric is rotten, just leave it in place. It should not present too much problems to an auger.

 

[jeff9366]

After mowing the property he asked if I would be interested in removing about an acre to and acre of half of landscape fabric covered by 2 inches of dirt and grass.

The owner wants to plant fruit trees using an auger, so I am concerned with having the fabric getting caught in the auger bit.

Most mulch fabric is weak after five to seven years. I have 15 year warranted Dupont mulch fabric, which an auger would go through after ten years. Most mulch fabric is warranted for three to five years.

I would trial punching through the fabric with the auger as first step.


If the fabric still needs to be removed I would use Box Blade scarifies to pull it up.

A versatile Ratchet Rake Bucket Attachment would work well too.

 

[Texasmark]

I'm going on 78. When I was a kid I lived in S. Texas where mosquitoes were a problem. The city had WWII jeeps with power sprayers/foggers installed and in the summer would spray the subdivisions about once a week. Boys in my circle used to gather when a jeep would be heard spraying and we had a great time riding back and forth through the fog!!!!!!!!!

 

[Professor Marvel]

yeah my wife said when they were kids they used to run behind the bug bomb truck through the neighborhood

 

[rhunt]

Anyone remember the "flit-gun". Bob

 

[D2Cat]

Worse possible scenario is the fabric still has some integrity but not enough to just pull it up.

The owner want to plant trees. He has 2" of soil over the fabric. Instead of attempting to remove the fabric why not simple remove the fabric in a 3' dia. where he wants to plant? Mark where the tree goes, scratch down to the fabric through the dirt and pull up whatever comes up. Then take a box knife and trim off how much ever suits you. It gets the job done with out a mess of loose fabric.

 

[TractorGuy]

I wouldn't touch it. I pulled just a small area with lilies planted in it and it still resides where I dumped it. I tried to separate it from the roots by hand for a while and gave up. I fear I will find it with the mower one day and wad it up in the stump jumper.

 

[sixdogs]

It's tough to get up and when I've done it, the best way has been with a bigger tractor (90hp) and a set of heavy chisel plow cultivators maybe 8' wide. The cultivators start to rip it up but it disintegrates even if in good shape. So, you'll need 3 or 4 strong guys to finish pulling it up. I've tried lots of ways and the above way worked the best. I figure a landscape rake would offer zero chance of getting any up but would just ride on the surface. A rototiller doesn't work either and the stuff just balls up in the tines and takes forever to get off. No thanks on that.

I would pass on that job or say you'll give it a shot for an hour and then decide if you want to continue. That landscape fabric comes up hard.

 

[3Lfarms]

That commercial landscape fabric is pretty tough. That stuff will have two different sides to it. It’s laid with the smooth side up, but the other side is covered in fibers that remind me of the loop side of hook and loop fasteners (Velcro). Those fibers will be imbedded into the soil and make the fabric very difficult to pull up.
It use it in my yard and it controls the weeds very well. I have figured out the easiest way to plant bulbs is I use a 3” forstner bit with a long extension in a cordless drill. The outer cutting teeth on the bit cut the fabric pretty well without trying to rip out huge wads of it.

While a PHD will drill a hole through the fabric, it will not cut a clean hole and it will tear the fabric pretty good. The best method will be to just scrape off the solid where the tree will be planted, cut out a piece of the fabric, then use the PHD. That fabric is just too tough. The stuff I use (which is also what the local nurseries use) is supposed to last 20 years.

 

[coolbrze]

I have a feeling that most all "removal" processes will leave a real mess. You might want to check and see if the old landscape fabric has disintegrated or is pretty rotten. If so - you MIGHT be able to rototill the area, chew up the old fabric and mix with the existing topsoil.

Actually - if the old landscape fabric is rotten, just leave it in place. It should not present too much problems to an auger.

I'll 2nd this

 

[MESSMAKER]

Bulldozer and then bury the mess, but a lot of topsoil will be lost. I can see this turning into a mess. I think I would walk away.