Sloping grade

[jeff9366]

Current soil is very sandy.

I would have fill delivered -- second question is ~~ what type?

As a general answer, match what is 'native' to your area.

Colorado Springs is pretty dry, isn't it? Are you planning to grow prairie grass on the slope, or something that will require irrigation? Do you have any water restrictions in Colorado Springs? Composition of your fill should be to support verdure which will prevent erosion.

 

[Egon]

Current soil is very sandy.

I would have fill delivered -- secondary question is what type?

Delivered fill, no digging. Set up lines of grade stakes and use your bucket. Start at the top at desired grade level and work your way down the slope at grade. (End dump & push over) it's important to keep a proper smooth grade as your working downhill. The slope stakes will be a big help. Flagging tied at desired height is more visible.

 

[jeff9366]

I might be able to borrow my dads Bobcat for a while.

I'd have to get a trailer for it, and about 17hrs drive each way.

At $1.00 per mile pulling a trailer and two round trips totaling 68 hours, what will be your cost? You can likely hire out this work cheaper than you can transport the Bobcat.

Skid Steers and tractors are both earth movers. Skid Steer work is primarily at the front, tractor work is primarily at the rear.

 

[Michael Aos]

At $1.00 per mile pulling a trailer and two round trips totaling 68 hours, what will be your cost? You can likely hire out this work cheaper than you can transport the Bobcat.

.

That was my gut feel as well.

 

[Michael Aos]

As a general answer, match what is 'native' to your area.

Colorado Springs is pretty dry, isn't it? Are you planning to grow prairie grass on the slope, or something that will require irrigation? Do you have any water restrictions in Colorado Springs?

I'd like to ultimately Xeriscape everything.

I need to address a "nagative grade" area, and then encourage any water to flow away from the structures.

1&2 are a little too flat. Backyard at #3 was left too flat by landscaping contractors we hired years ago.

 

[Michael Aos]

I recommended a Ratchet Rake in another of your threads. I maintain that recommendation. It is much easier to smooth and finish grade with a Ratchet Rake for an inexperienced operator.

I spent Saturday pulling some stumps, clothesline poles, and removing a small raised garden. I spread the garden in some of the low spots (and holes) and smoothed it out with the bucket in "float".

I was pretty happy with the result, but I was thinking about that Ratchet Rake.

I don't even know how much I don't know about this stuff.

Just playing in the dirt.

 

[jeff9366]

I don't even know how much I don't know about this stuff.

Ask questions.

Responces to specific questions, rather than broad topics, will be most valuable to you.

Only a few here grew up on farms with tractors. Most of us, like you, started at "0".

 

[Citydude]

I'd like to ultimately Xeriscape everything.

I need to address a "nagative grade" area, and then encourage any water to flow away from the structures.

1&2 are a little too flat. Backyard at #3 was left too flat by landscaping contractors we hired years ago.

Pictures of this area?

 

[jenkinsph]

If you don't have pictures can you estimate how much dirt you need to spread?

 

[jenkinsph]

For 12,000 square feet that is dead level to start with you would need about 112 yards of dirt to build up a slope of .5%. That is enough to have decent drainage away from the buildings. With dirt delivered that would be a one day job for me including accurate grading and rolling/compacting. I would not recommend buying a tractor for such a small project. What ever you have now will significantly impact the calculations, need more information.

Keep your 2370 and use it to xeriscape after the grade work is done. You will have less need for a tractor afterwards. As far as the fill is concerned I would look for something that has fines without large rocks. Tailings would work well if fine enough and depending on what is available close by sandy soil that will spread evenly will work too. Since this will be covered up with landscape cloth and covered with clean rock you don't need a high end topsoil. Tailings that were excavated from deep below the surface are rather sterile in most cases and wont grow much of anything. That includes weeds so this can be an advantage in for your use. Lowers the maintenance and weeds in your xeriscape.