Pulverisor for lawn re-do?

[oliver28472]

I have burned down a patch of lawn with roundup and am getting read to put in some fescue at the end of September. There are several Gill pulverizers for sale in the $400.00 range nearby. I was thinking I could use it to prepare the seed bed. Will this be a worthwhile purchase? Will I be happy afterwards?

 

[leonz]

It depends strictly on their condition. If the
bearings/gearbox are tight-have little backlash,
and the blades are intact you should be alright.

 

[oliver28472]

I will check the condition for sure but am more concerned whether this is the right tool for the job. Minimal grading is needed.

 

[teg]

I don't have a Gill and mine doesn't have any moving parts other than the roller on the back. Just lots of spikes on the bottom.

It's main use is to add weight on for my disk harrow. I store it on top of the disks to keep it out of the dirt. I've only used it a couple of times over the last 9 years - just to rough up soil before seeding. I've leveled a few side hills to park a camper on and after running over the dirt several times to compact it. I run the pulverizer over it to rough up the top layer for a seed bed. Box blade was used to level it... I only paid $250 for it used. Check rental places, I've seen them at the two rental places I've looked at. Might be cheaper vs. buy and resell.

I do plan to use it for our new house!

 

[Halftrack]

I would suggest checking on renting a power rake. One or two passes with the rake and you are ready to seed, whether seeder or hand spreader. Second choice would be a tiller, but it will involve a little more hand work. The pulverizer is a good start, but even after 5-6 passes you will still not have that good of a seedbed. I think that is why you are seeing the pulverizers available, everyone has switched to power rakes.

 

[mikehaugen]

I have a gill pulverizer and have found it to be less useful than I had hoped. Granted my teeth are a little rounded, but I have gone over a section of my propery (mostly weeds) in the early spring before the weeds start and it really doesn't do much. It has worked great on loose soil but not so well on compacted soil. I paid $200 at auction for it, so I haven't really lost a lot of money, and I have actually found it to be pretty usefull for breaking up and smoothing my gravel driveway.

My cousin also used it to level and smooth a bunch of his land, mostly where a new septic system was installed. He was satisfied with the results.

I think for them to be effective, the soil needs to be loose. I used a 2-bottom plow on my garden in the fall and used the pulverizer to smooth it out in the spring and it worked great. I have about an acre and a half that I want to smooth and when the time comes I will probably plow it first and let it sit for a couple months then go over it with the pulverizer.

 

[oliver28472]

I have a 4' tiller so I could use that first, then the pulverizer.

 

[mikehaugen]

I have a 4' tiller so I could use that first, then the pulverizer.

If that's the case then I'd say it will probably work out well. If you lived closer I'd let you borrow mine.

 

[mikehaugen]

It would also have the added benefit of pushing the seeds into the soil if you tilt it all of the way back and keep the spikes out of the soil and just let the rear roller ride on the ground.

 

[teg]

I would just use the tiller and forget about the pulverizer...