Looking For Advice for Building Berms

[John Fitzgerald]

I would get someone with a small bulldozer to come in and build up the berms. Dozers are designed to not compact the soil much. If you only take 3" or so off the top, you should still be able to get grasses to grow between the berms. Small dozer guys around here get about $75 per hour, and they can move a lot of topsoil in an hour.

 

[gottaearnit]

Thanks guys. I do appreciate the responses. Definitely feel I can get it done like you said airbiscuit. Also, gonna get in touch with someone with a dozer to quote it. Then weigh the cost vs the amount of work I would have to put in.

 

[ovrszd]

Yep. Try to think outside the box and look at all alternatives. Anxious to see the solution so post your decisions!!!!

Welcome to TBN.

 

[bdog]

I think a dozer with a 6 way blade could run down the middle throwing dirt to the right, turn around and repeat and after a few passes have what you want. Might look at a bigger dozer simply because of blade width. The closer the blade width is to 1/2 of your 25’ the easier it will be to make long passes throwing the dirt to the outside.

 

[ovrszd]

Not being familiar with your current sod situation I can only use my experiences here. My sod is thick enough that if I try to peel off 3" to make a berm before I till it I'll end up with huge slabs of sod in the berm. Then I'll fight them trying to smooth and shape the berm. If your sod is thick you may want to till first. Then the dozer would make quick work of your project. In the operator's eyes he's just building small terraces. Easy task. If you can stand the cost.

 

[leonz]

If we can find him a good whirlwind terracing plow he will not have to do anything other than getting the right size mule as the whirlwind rotary plow will bury the sod in one pass.

He still needs gypsum to dissolve the clay and lime to bring up the PH though.

 

[gottaearnit]

I don't really have the sod issue as this 5 acres was farmed for years up until when I bought it last year. I plan on spraying to kill the little bit of weeds that have come up or burn it prior to moving the soil.

 

[LouNY]

Lease or hire a heavy disk first,
then follow up with D6H with a 6 way blade.

 

[Egon]

Till the soil first and move it using an angle blade to get the desired berm shape. A road grader would be the perfect tool.

 

[rd_macgregor]

Just out of curiosity...are these native American chestnuts? If so, where did you find blight-resistant stock?