Tiller or power rake for lawn renewal?

[mikehaugen]

Don't know about your locale but my experience has been that planting grass in the spring has to compete with lots of weeds which are the predominate new growth. If I plant in August it is too late for the weeds to come up and I have almost all grass without using any herbicide. Just went through this, planted about August 2nd and have a full stand of grass on this new patch.

the rule I have heard around here is only plant grass in months that have an "r". Not sure how true it is, as I have only planted grass once and it was a long time ago- I don't even remember what month it was, but that's what they say.

 

[LHS Inc]

If you're going to kill everything down then why bother pulling up rocks/stones from tilling and have to deal with all that.

If I was doing it I would kill it down like you are planning. Might want to cut a half inch shorter wait a week then spray. Give it two weeks and you'll know if you have to go over it again if anything is still green.

Rent an overseeder like a Woods STR-60 or 72 whichever the type tractor you're using would handle and just overseed. It has roller spikes that won't clog rolling over the dead veg. With the dead vegetation acting as a mulch you should get a good stand of grass.

 

[LHS Inc]

How about a turf renovator?
STR60S-2 Landscape Equipment

Would killing the existing grass & weeds, waiting a week and using this work just as good?

We were thinking the same thing, check out my other reply. Yes it would work. I have used the STR-60 many times with outstanding results. I won't use anything else.

 

[LHS Inc]

the rule I have heard around here is only plant grass in months that have an "r". Not sure how true it is, as I have only planted grass once and it was a long time ago- I don't even remember what month it was, but that's what they say.

I've never heard that but it make sense. Fall is always the number one time to seed cool season grass here in the Mid Atlantic. September and October are my preferred times. I have seen guys seeding in late November into December weather permitting.

 

[leonz]

How about a turf renovator?
STR60S-2 Landscape Equipment

Would killing the existing grass & weeds, waiting a week and using this work just as good?

Save your money and buy a small BCS 2 wheel tractor
with a tiller and rotary plow.

You can till up the sod and bury it with thier rotary plow in one
pass to 14 inches deep and then apply the grass seed and till it
in at the shallowest depth to plant it and you will have a great
stand of grass. This method works well with winter wheat and
grass seed both.

Visit the 2 wheel tractor section of the web site here and you
will be amazed at what these varmints can do.

The rotary plow wil bury the small rocks too and leave a nice firm
seedbed for you.

 

[sierradmax]

We were thinking the same thing, check out my other reply. Yes it would work. I have used the STR-60 many times with outstanding results. I won't use anything else.

Does your's have the seeder box? does a push drop seeder work as well? I came across a used STR-60 without the seeder box.

 

[leonz]

The rule I have heard around here is only plant grass in months that have an "r".
Not sure how true it is, as I have only planted grass once and it was a long time ago-
I don't even remember what month it was, but that's what they say.

The late fall is the only time you can get good grass stand unless you are planting
using a sure stand grass seeder as the weeds are dormant by then and cannot
compete with the grass seedlings.

 

[sierradmax]

Is the woods STR-60 the same as the landpride aerator/overseeder?

 

[LHS Inc]

Does your's have the seeder box? does a push drop seeder work as well? I came across a used STR-60 without the seeder box.

I don't own one I've just rented in the past. Yes the one I have used has a drop seed box.
Frontier has one that that is the same as the Woods just different color.

Land Pride has one a little different in the spikes are spiraled around the roller. Should work the same.

Thinking about buying a Woods STR-6 this Fall.

 

[jenkinsph]

The late fall is the only time you can get good grass stand unless you are planting
using a sure stand grass seeder as the weeds are dormant by then and cannot
compete with the grass seedlings.

leonz, that simply is not true. I planted my rear lawn area first week in August, not many weeds in there. You can blow up the picture by clicking it. I tilled it with the 673 and planed with my home made landplane, harrowed with the home made harrow, and seeded with the little tow behind spin spreader.