Smoothing large area

[bikewhisperer]

It's a large area to me anyway, probably not to many people here! I've had my tractor for a whole 5 days and this is the big job I need to accomplish before 1500 seedlings die.

I installed a geothermal system last fall and in doing so pretty much destroyed a 300' x 100' section of our new property. The guy who backflled did a poor job in my opinion, but what do I know. The end result is I need to smooth out this area and get it ready for tree planting.

There were 4 trenches, 5' wide x 100' long and spaced 10' between them. What little topsoil existed was not saved, a mistake that will not happen again. The surface is now hard dried up clay with lots of rocks from 1/2 inch to 18 inches. The 10 foot strips of untouched ground are visible in some spots and under 18" of clay in others, but I do know where they are as the trenches were marked. Much of the fill from the top got moved downhill and I need to move it back to the top to expose the soil underneath.

My question is what methods should I use to accomplish this task?

I've tried my box scraper, but my inexperience and all the dips and rises make for a slow process.

My best progress has so far been using the FEL and carefully exposing the untouched grass between the trenches. The plan after that is to put the topsoil where it's needed, then til the entire area, and drag something over it to smooth it out. I've considered smoothing it all out "as is" by dragging 6 large truck tires over it and ordering 300 yards of topsoil for the whole area, but since 40 yards would cover just the trenches it seems like a waste.

Any thoughts/suggestions? Am I on the right track my using the FEL? As it gets closer to smooth I'm sure I will make better use of the box scraper.

Darren

 

[bikewhisperer]

Here's the pics that I forgot to attach on my previous post.

 

[dangerdoc]

It's a large area to me anyway, probably not to many people here! I've had my tractor for a whole 5 days and this is the big job I need to accomplish before 1500 seedlings die.

I installed a geothermal system last fall and in doing so pretty much destroyed a 300' x 100' section of our new property. The guy who backflled did a poor job in my opinion, but what do I know. The end result is I need to smooth out this area and get it ready for tree planting.

There were 4 trenches, 5' wide x 100' long and spaced 10' between them. What little topsoil existed was not saved, a mistake that will not happen again. The surface is now hard dried up clay with lots of rocks from 1/2 inch to 18 inches. The 10 foot strips of untouched ground are visible in some spots and under 18" of clay in others, but I do know where they are as the trenches were marked. Much of the fill from the top got moved downhill and I need to move it back to the top to expose the soil underneath.

My question is what methods should I use to accomplish this task?

I've tried my box scraper, but my inexperience and all the dips and rises make for a slow process.

My best progress has so far been using the FEL and carefully exposing the untouched grass between the trenches. The plan after that is to put the topsoil where it's needed, then til the entire area, and drag something over it to smooth it out. I've considered smoothing it all out "as is" by dragging 6 large truck tires over it and ordering 300 yards of topsoil for the whole area, but since 40 yards would cover just the trenches it seems like a waste.

Any thoughts/suggestions? Am I on the right track my using the FEL? As it gets closer to smooth I'm sure I will make better use of the box scraper.

Darren

If you have a regular blade, put the rippers down on your box blade to create some loose material you can move or bring in some black dirt, then use the regular blade turned backwards. It will smooth out the soil but with the cutting edge turned backwards, it won't dig in as much.

A rock rake works too but I've had better luck with the regular blade.

I've never used a blade with gauge wheels but I've heard that works well.

 

[MarkV]

You may want to till it now to loosen the dirt up and make it easier to work. A number of passes with a tiller will go a long way towards smoothing out the area also.

MarkV

 

[bikewhisperer]

You may want to till it now to loosen the dirt up and make it easier to work. A number of passes with a tiller will go a long way towards smoothing out the area also.

MarkV

My concern if I til now is that I mix the clay with the topsoil and then I may need to put a new layer on top. This area is on top of a large hill that has been beaten by the wind, maybe 2 inches of topsoil there.

 

[MarkV]

I understand your concern although if it were me I might still till at a shallow depth to help loosen the soil and knock down the high spots. It sounds like you will be mixing in the clay eventually anyway.

As far as the box blade goes it is pretty normal to find it hard to work when you are just getting the hang of it. What helped me was to go slow and make shallow cuts. You often have to use the position control to raise the box in low areas and lower it for the high spots. If you don't, as the front of the tractor rises on a high spot the box digs in deeper making a low spot lower. After a few passes of knocking down the high spots it becomes easier to do a finish grade.

Good luck with the project, enjoy the new tractor and welcome to the forum.

MarkV

 

[Soundguy]

boxblade and drag harrow looks like it will do the job.

soundguy

 

[Reg]

I would guess that there is already quite a bit of top soil and clay mixed; too bad and too late, I wouldn't sweat too much about trying to separate them now, or try to plough in money in the form of hundreds of yards of new top soil.
I think I would at least rip it with the box blade to get enough loosened dirt to shove around.
You will lose your trench markings, so take sightings/bearings of those before you start.
If you have little/no skills with a blade or bucket the next step might be to improvise a drag and for this relatively small area the simplest/cheapest is probably a few pallets tied together face down with their top boards at some angle to the direction of pull, say 30 degrees or so.
"Make like the Zambozzi at the ice rink" with overlapping circular patterns, i.e. don't drive in rows. You can't back up with pallets on ropes anyway.

 

[Egon]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/141756-my-super-duper-drag.html

Check out this thread. It shows a type of home fabricated drag that would work very well for your situation.

Using this type of drag for initial leveling, then till and then drag some more. After this you could bring in the topsoil and then drag again.

With this type of drag if you angle it it may leave a windrow of rocks that could be removed with the loader.

Angling the drag would just involve how you hook the chains up.

 

[theboman]

Any large humps kinda level down with whatever you have like a tractor, shovel, etc.

If you can get a tiller that will work but just scar the top 1-2". Then drag and drag....

Or just drag and drag. Use an old wood pallet, chain link fence, old box springs...whatever you have. Drag and drag.

Clay is good soil, but needs some help!! Add compost material, shredded leaves, top soil, some sand, and toss out lime too!

It'll work and anything is better than you already have!

 

[dangerdoc]

It's a large area to me anyway, probably not to many people here! I've had my tractor for a whole 5 days and this is the big job I need to accomplish before 1500 seedlings die.

I installed a geothermal system last fall and in doing so pretty much destroyed a 300' x 100' section of our new property. The guy who backflled did a poor job in my opinion, but what do I know. The end result is I need to smooth out this area and get it ready for tree planting.

There were 4 trenches, 5' wide x 100' long and spaced 10' between them. What little topsoil existed was not saved, a mistake that will not happen again. The surface is now hard dried up clay with lots of rocks from 1/2 inch to 18 inches. The 10 foot strips of untouched ground are visible in some spots and under 18" of clay in others, but I do know where they are as the trenches were marked. Much of the fill from the top got moved downhill and I need to move it back to the top to expose the soil underneath.

My question is what methods should I use to accomplish this task?

I've tried my box scraper, but my inexperience and all the dips and rises make for a slow process.

My best progress has so far been using the FEL and carefully exposing the untouched grass between the trenches. The plan after that is to put the topsoil where it's needed, then til the entire area, and drag something over it to smooth it out. I've considered smoothing it all out "as is" by dragging 6 large truck tires over it and ordering 300 yards of topsoil for the whole area, but since 40 yards would cover just the trenches it seems like a waste.

Any thoughts/suggestions? Am I on the right track my using the FEL? As it gets closer to smooth I'm sure I will make better use of the box scraper.

Darren

If you live in a rural area, check with any local stables, often they will have composted horse manure free for hauling. That will give you more material to drag around and will help the grass.

 

[radioman]

The first pics you have looks pretty good, the second one looks like you need alot of work. If you already have attachment like a box blade with rippers, then its the way to go. If not get a tiller, it will go a long way in preparing the surface quickly. Since its claylike soil, I wouldn't worry about the deep tilling, it will compact soon enough after several rains. I would have topsoil trucked in and spread on top an inch or so after smoothing out the clay base. Then plant grass. This would be the best option I beleive.

 

[3RRL]

Your area doesn't really look THAT bad to me.
It's a lot better than what I had to work with. I'd do like a couple fellas told you. If you already have the box blade, put the rippers all the way down and drag it behind your tractor. Don't sink the teeth all the way in though ... suspend the boxblade so only about 4" or rippers go into the ground. That will allow the rippers to work without moving any dirt. It does a couple things for you. First, it busts up the hard surface and will mix the soil a little. It will also pop out any rocks so you can get them out of there. Ripping like that with a suspended boxblade will also naturally move a little dirt from high spots to lower spots. It also softens up the area so you can then drag dirt either with the box blade or use the fel bucket to level and smooth it better. Then get yourself some compost to spread over the area and till it in. You won't have to worry much about the rocks you've already removed.
It just takes a little tlc and time.
BTW, you CAN get pretty good with the boxblade and really get things level after a lot of practice. Here's a 100" x 200' pad for my barn I did with only the boxblade, much in the manner I described (except no tilling).
I got it pretty flat.
Rob-

 

[kthompson]

Adding to Reg suggestions often if you work at about 90 degree angles it helps level out the high spots or ridges you made going in just one direction. His overlapping circles or ovals work good.

 

[3RRL]

Adding to Reg suggestions often if you work at about 90 degree angles it helps level out the high spots or ridges you made going in just one direction. His overlapping circles or ovals work good.

Yes, I meant to add that.
One thing, when scarifying with the box blade rippers down, be sure to lift up during the turns or you will bend them. They have little or no support sideways. I would do the 90 degree criss-cross method with rippers down and then go in ovals or circles with the rippers back up.

 

[Reg]

WRT horse stables.
You are likely to get a LOT of wood shavings and hay, good organic stuff that will open up the clay, but will CONSUME nitrogen.
Unless the operation consciously composts the manure you will almost certainly get some seed, a lot of it survives the equine digestive system and it takes a HOT compost pile to kill it.

Another thought on ripping with the box blade;
If you suspect that there will be rocks and roots big enough to stop the tractor
a) Go very slowly.
b) If your box blade is 6ft or more wide keep the outside rippers UP, this will avoid getting stopped by an outer edge.
On mine this puts 4 rippers in the ground and the outside ones (of 4) are only a few inches out from the 3PH pins.
I like to think that this reduces the risk of getting swiveled around and suffering injury or damage.
4 rippers is usually enough to pull anyway and covers sufficient width to be fairly productive.

 

[bikewhisperer]

Well that job is done, maybe not well done, but done. Sorry for not updating sooner but it's been busy.

The earlier pictures did not really show the terrain well, I should have waited for the sun to be in a different position. I started out with the box blade, but with some of the dips and hills being over 4 feet it was tricky in some areas. But it did bring out a lot of rocks. Then I borrowed a discer and tried that.

After loosening things up a bit I moved alot of the covering clay into a pile. This pile will be moved to the top of the hill next to the house. In some areas I got right down to the topsoil, other areas probably had a foot of clay on top. In the end the contour of the hill is nice. A lot of stone removal, and I'm not done yet. Largest stone being about 3x4 feet, dozens of 2'+. I'm sure I will use those in another project in the years to come.

Then I tilled to mix everything up, that was hard on the tiller and of course found some new big rocks. Last I pulled a large piece of railroad track around with the quad, and that found a few thousand more rocks. **** rocks.

After seeing what some of you can do with a box blade I am determined to get better with it.

Thanks for all your suggestions, it is greatly appreciated.

Next project a 6' x 25' retaining wall with a staircase.

 

[peterssj4034]

The area looks good. If you want to go one step further removing rocks, rent a skid steer with a landscape rake (rock hound). I have used them a couple of times in the past with fantastic results. I just used one again this past weekend to plant an area very similar to yours in rocks/soil consistency with great results. I went over the area a couple of times. The landscape rake also does a great job of smoothing the soil you have loosened.

I have geothermal as well, and consider it one of the best decisions I have made. You won't regret it.

 

[aggiehortguy91]

Good job. Definately save those rocks. We used to build retaining walls with them when I worked landscaping in Indiana. It is not easy to do, but once you get the hang of it you can make a wall look like it has always been there. Something tells me that if you need more rocks, it won't be hard to find some more in your area! If you can't find anyone willing to give you some, just go buy a new plow. You will find some big ones if you use a new plow.

 

[AchingBack]

My concern if I til now is that I mix the clay with the topsoil and then I may need to put a new layer on top. This area is on top of a large hill that has been beaten by the wind, maybe 2 inches of topsoil there.

If you don't add some top soil, and rototill it in to make what is called a transition layer, you will have water trapped between the clay, and the additional topsoil. Make the transition layer, and then add all the soil you want to make the area ready for use.