Large Scale Lawn and Seeding Project

[LukeDuke30]

I had some spare time today, so I put together a crude Microsoft paint overview of the spring lawn project. We purchased 11 acres a few years ago that was old pasture mainly used for hay and left vacant for about 15 years. We built two homes on this property, so you get the idea of where the homes are. Topsoil is already spread around the homes, just need to prep that for Hydro seed for the immediate area around the house. The fun part will be the other 4.5 acres. It is very bumpy, but the soil is good. Field grass grows very well, and after two years of mowing started to look like a lawn albeit a bumpy one even on the tractor.

Plan is to rototill each (zone) and run a pulverizer over it to level and firm once tilled. Next would be starter fertilizer, broadcast seed, and hit it again with the cultipacker or maybe the pulverizer again?

Of course, it needs to dry out first and my weather timing needs to be good. Do I need straw on top, or should the pulverizer/cultipacker engage the seed well enough into the soil that moisture shouldn't be a problem? I am going to try and time it right before rain as best as I can. I will be using my Massey 1734, and most implements are 6'.

Luke

 

[Big Barn]

Be aware the cultipacker has poor levelling capabilities. In some cases the more you use it the worse it will get.

You will need a bladed landleveller of some sort or even a homemade drag float. For instance a large timber pulled by your tractor.

Do not use a roller to firm your seedbed until the area is level.

Roll again after seeding. You are not trying to compact the area, just ensure good seed to soil contact to enhance germination.

 

[LukeDuke30]

Be aware the cultipacker has poor levelling capabilities. In some cases the more you use it the worse it will get.

You will need a bladed landleveller of some sort or even a homemade drag float. For instance a large timber pulled by your tractor.

Do not use a roller to firm your seedbed until the area is level.

Roll again after seeding. You are not trying to compact the area, just ensure good seed to soil contact to enhance germination.

Thanks! I used my pulverizer to plant about a half acre in the area I am over seeding about two years ago. It worked great breaking up the surface and leveling. I seeded and ran it over with a cultipacker. The grass came up in about 5-6 days.

 

[Big Barn]

You must have had ideal conditions.

One of most important factors is to roll after seeding. That way the seed is not just sitting on the soil allowing the underside to dry out.

Good seed to soil contact allows capillarity to work drawing soil moisture up to the seed in order for it to get swollen allowing germination.

 

[BubbaJr]

After we moved into our new house, I prepared the 6 acres for grass. Then I rented a Brillion seed drill to plant the grass. I did this in September, we had rain, and the grass came up all by itself and looked great for about 6 years. :smiley_aafz:

 

[Big Barn]

After we moved into our new house, I prepared the 6 acres for grass. Then I rented a Brillion seed drill to plant the grass. I did this in September, we had rain, and the grass came up all by itself and looked great for about 6 years. :smiley_aafz:

Pretty hard to beat a Brillion

I sold my ten foot Brillion Turf Maker when I retired.

 

[Cataclysm]

I see you have the Massey 1734e, do you already have the rest of the equipment? If so then your on the right track.

If not then run a chisel over it, disc the crap out of it, spread your seed then run the culti-packer over it. Run a drag behind your disc to help level.

If you don't have any of than then rent a power rake and knock it all out at once (till/level). Then seed/cultipack or seed and run a drag over it. It's hard to beat a power rake for the job your doing.

I have ran all three systems over the years. The power rake does the better job. It will also separate out any trash. (rocks/sticks/junk ect.)

 

[LukeDuke30]

It's funny, now that some of you are mentioning the Brillion seeder, I checked with our local Ace Hardware. They have a Land Pride Seeder, which looks exactly the same as the Brillion. It seems that after either tilling with my Massey 1734, or renting a power rake/track loader it would really simplify planting the seed by using one of these seeders. I have the tiller, so I could till then level with the pulverizer. It seems like I could do it a lot faster with renting a track loader/power rake, and then rent the seeder! It would probably be more effective also.

 

[Ford850]

Sounds like you have a couple solutions figured out. Just don't till if very deep or you will have settling in years to come. This worked for me: Till as shallow as possible, level, then drag with a large piece of chain link fence (with log or wood post on top). Broadcast half the seed over all areas, then a light drag (fence with no post) over all areas, then broadcast second half of seed, light drag, and then cultipack it.

 

[Lemo]

If you can rent or borrow a rake-n-ator it does a beautiful job and really gets things level. They are a skid steer implement but work fine on a tractor. The only thing is that the area must be free of vegetation otherwise it will just clog it up.