Preparing site for first planting

[Kernopelli]

Make sure you take some pics when you do it

Pics of the clutch replacement or the pumpkin patch progress?????
Just kidding, I know how TBN'ers love pictures....I'll take some of both of course.

 

[Egon]

Have you considered leaving the grass as is and prepare numerous small areas in which to plant individual pumpkin plants? You would be able to mow the grass for quite some time till the pumpkins get growing and not have to worry about weeds.

 

[KaiB]

Egon, that idea really appeals to me. I've seen this done around here on three acres; it worked.

This is good for so many reasons.

 

[Highbeam]

I have a problem with removing the top few inches for a crop application. That's good topsoil that you're taking away there and even better after tilling in the organic weeds. In some areas the topsoil is only a few inches deep.

If you have written off this season already then I would simply till the soil(Disc, plow, cultivators, rototiller, whatever) repeatedly to kill the stuff. The fresh black soil won't stay weed free for long nomatter what you do so get a fresh tilling in before you plant your pumpkins and hope that they grow faster than the weeds.

Now if you're task is to remove the material to make way for a building or some other non-crop use then I have used the box scraper with very good success. Depending on the distance between graded area and spoils pile I will either drag the full box to the spoils (short) Or scoop up the scraped material like 3RRL and then use high speed to scoot the spoils to a distant dump site.

 

[3RRL]

I have to agree, now that I know better, that turning over the topsoil is the best way.
But when you don't know any better (like me ... lol...it just doesn't hurt) I thought removing the top layer would do the trick. I see the benefits now from using the organic material. Also, I do not have a plow, cultivator, rototiller or disk. My wife knows more than me and so do these guys.