# getting ready for a lawn



## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well, it is Feb 1st, and I am getting REALY ready for winter to be over. 

Now if any of you remember, I just had my new house built last year. Now this was not an easy prosess, and we got screwed BIGTIME by our builder. Now they are bankrupt, and does not look like we will see a cent of what they owe us, but it is time to move on, and finish the work myself.

They never did anything with the yard at all. After back fill, they just went over it quick with a dozer to level it a tiny bit, and never cam back. This has left me with over an acre of rocky, bumpy, weedy,mess of a yard. Now the end of the year last year, we were going to have someone do the yard. They had got as far as dumping, and quick leveling 4 tri axles trucks of REAL nice top soil. Well they had to stop becouse the rains came, then the wether turned to cold, so they had to stop. Good thing realy, becouse then the bottom dropped out of any chance of money from the builder, so we realy could not afford to have it done anyway.  

SO here I am. I am SICK of an over grown jungle of weeds and rubble, and NEED to get a lawn in this year. Anyone have a game plan for me? Here is what I have to work with.....

old 8N tractor.
two ingersoll GT's
small dozer blades for the Ingersolls
tiller for the Ingersoll.

Now I don;t have much cash, so I can't just go out and get all the attachments I need for the job. I can probably swing one 3PH attachment for the N, but it would have to do most of the work needed. Anything else would have to be rented.

My thoughts. Pick up a box blade for the N. Do most of the leveling with that, then rent a rake for the finle finish. My local rental place rents a rake, but it is for a GT. Now thats not bad, becouse with most of the work done with the boxblade, I figure a weekend with the rented rake, and my 444 will be fine. 

Anything elce I may be missing??? Giving some thought to making some kind of a drag also. Just see how well that would work, but still feel the box blade would be better, more controlable. Any tips for me guys? I want to be ready for when the wether changes.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

More of the mess I have.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

more...

It is realy much worse then it looks eaven. Spent HOURS picking rocks in the front just so I could mow SOME of the weeds. Went through two sets of mower baldes last year.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Here is what I had before the BUTCHERS came. Not a perfect LAWN, but a Bee U T Full yard.......


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## Adamr88 (Sep 16, 2003)

WOW, what you had before and after is night and day. Good luck on trying to get it back to the origonal condition. How long do you think it will take you? You might want to see if anyone near you rents a Harley Rake 

Good luck,

Adam


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Ya I thought about a Harley Rake. Don't know if the N will run it though. Anyone know?


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Paul - That's a typical jobsite after construction. Nothing a York rake or that Harley rake Adamr88 was talking about couldn't fix. In early spring broadcast some lime and quick cover seed on it after you get it cleaned up and graded. That will help keep the dust down when you mow this year.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Argee _
> *Paul - That's a typical jobsite after construction. Nothing a York rake or that Harley rake Adamr88 was talking about couldn't fix. In early spring broadcast some lime and quick cover seed on it after you get it cleaned up and graded. That will help keep the dust down when you mow this year. *


Pictures don;t realy show, but also a few gradeing issues. So I do have some real dirt to move. On one side of the house it has to come up almost a foot. Well more work to do. Now if it would get worm so I can get some work done........


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Don't get depressed. I feel the same way about part of my land. Before the horses got done trampling around the pastures, my land was like your photo, a nice almost golf course land. Now it is ridded with weeds, low-areas and sand places where "they like to pace, rest and gallop" --- I know it is my fault ultimately as I need to box scrap it, fertilize, rake and reseed it ---- Just need the extra $ for equipment and time/talent to get it all done. I feel your pain with this, Paul. Best of luck --- Oh by the way, I will be using my 8N to do all of this work too. Of course, our winters are a little milder down here in Louisiana.  

Good luck --- Keep your head up and smiling. :winky:


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

Man they really destroyed your lawn... 


I dont mean to sound lazy.. but how about getting a bunch of loam, and a dozer.. in about 2 hours they would have it all graded out and skim a coat of 1-2" of loam and all you need to do is plant some seed...


Take it from a big lazy bastard.. its worked for me.. 

<img src=http://www.apartofme.com/images/Mvc-209x.jpg>


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Big Lazy Bastard? BLB is that your new nickname?
HAHAHA

Thanks for sharing the info, SJ

Andy


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Good idea BLB/SJ!!!!

Or you could get a few loads of topsoil dropped at various locations on your property and York rake it into place.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

SJ - Have you ever thought about taking the Master Garderner course offered through your local extension service. With your propensity to growing things, I'd bet you would thouroughly enjoy it.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*cooperative extension service*



> _Originally posted by Argee _
> *SJ - Have you ever thought about taking the Master Garderner course offered through your local extension service. With your propensity to growing things, I'd bet you would thouroughly enjoy it. *


 Those courses are great! When I was younger I took one that showed you how to fish properly. The course was broken down into segments. Scored the top of my class in the segment that showed technique for putting worms on the hooks. They even gave me a plaque that named me a "Master Baiter".


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

*Re: cooperative extension service*



> _Originally posted by slipshod _
> *Those courses are great! When I was younger I took one that showed you how to fish properly. The course was broken down into segments. Scored the top of my class in the segment that showed technique for putting worms on the hooks. They even gave me a plaque that named me a "Master Baiter". *


That explains your condition "after the game":lmao:


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Argee _
> *Good idea BLB/SJ!!!!
> 
> Or you could get a few loads of topsoil dropped at various locations on your property and York rake it into place. *



nothing beats a dozer levelling the yard...


Well unless you are a dummy like me and drive over it before its dry enough....

Heres a decent levelled back lawn after the dozer did its work..
and before I $%#%#$ed it up...

<img src=http://www.apartofme.com/images/Mvc-100x.jpg>


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

Heres me ruining it by driving on it too early... all i wanted to do was spread seed...

<img src=http://www.apartofme.com/images/Mvc-110x.jpg> 



could have used your AG tires argee


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Boy I know that feeling SJ. The day after they spred my topsoil we got over 4" of rain. You want to say MUCK!!! Just walking on it you would sink past your ankels. Luckly it is flat and it did not wash away. Never did dry though. Winter came, and froze it up. I figure I will have a BIG mess come spring thaw. I SO hope for a dry spring, so I can do SOMETHING with it.


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

*winter seeding*

I know its too late now paul, but I had loam spread in late october a few years back.. 

It was too late for it to grow before winter.. but the loam guy suggested i do a winterized seeding, 
basically all i did, was seed it and put a coat of hay over it and left it like that..the winter and snow came and in the spring, the seed/grass grew up fine.. 

all it really did was saved me a few weeks worth of spring seeding..


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Well now it's Easter sunday, and I STILL only have dirt.

 

Just as a recap, when it was on the builders nickel, we found some one to spread topsoil,level,rake, and hydro seed all the disturbed areas. They came in leveled, and spred the topsiol, then fall rains, and winter came and we were at a stand still. During this time, the builder went bankrupt, and all the cost is ours. Now the cost of the work done in spring, we payed this winter, and are now left with dirt.

So now it's spring  

I was planing to do it all myself, but I have SO much going on at this time, that will push all projects WAY behind. So we talked to the landscaper, and have modafided our first contract. He will come in and harlyrake, and level the whole aera. We had planned for 5 tanks of hydroseed,[BIG BUCKS BTW] but now we are backing back to just two tanks for the front part of the lawn, and I will just hand seed the rear part. He also said he will try to cut us a brake on the cost becouse of being screwed over by the builder, so that was nice of them. 

Also the ground is drying nice this spring, and as long as the rains hold, looks like we will be good to go in the next week or so.   I am SO sick of dirt. rocks, and mud, I just want a lawn to mow!!!!!!!!!!


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

I for one sure do hate fooling with getting a new law established from the bare ground. If you could go with sod you would be milestones ahead, but yes its much more costly, but I think it about averages out over time as you have a lot less messing around with prep and germination of seeds and getting in a good dense growth etc. 

So if you seed by hand you can get a piece of chainlink fence and attach it to the L & G tractor by hooking the fence to a piece of pipe, and attach a chain to the end of ther pipe and drag it that way. Its important to cover up the seeds afater they get sowed. Its also important to compress the soil somewhat so the seeds are in contact really good with the ground, so a roller would be a plus. Couple of years I took the easy way out hoping to get grass started in my back yard area between the barn house and pond, it never amounted to much. This year I sodded the major portion next to the patio, and seeded the rest and I have a great stand of grass up already and doing fine. By summers end I shuld be able to have cut it two or three times for hay at the rate its growing, and it really is not all that ot yet. But what I did this year that I did not do other years was to till it up first, run a drag over it to level it out, sow the seed, pull the drag over one more time, and then pull the home made roller over it, and water every day it did not rain. It paid off. before all I did was lightly scratch the soil with a rake and sow the seeds and water.......I knew better but went with a shortcut, knowing full well I would not get what I was hoping for. I probably spent enough money on seed for this area over the years doing it half a$$ed that I could have sodded the entire thing and saved money. 

Too bad you there is not a law you could get manual labor out of the bankrupt contractor. Its a sin what you can do and get away with by going bankrupt..........but I bet his lifestyle has not changed any!


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Chipmaker _
> *
> Too bad you there is not a law you could get manual labor out of the bankrupt contractor. Its a sin what you can do and get away with by going bankrupt..........but I bet his lifestyle has not changed any! *



Oh ya, would LOVE to have that AH ont there picking up EACH AND EVERY rock that they left for me.



Oh an no, his lifes the same. New Corvette, and a new house.[bet his Co did not build THAT one] Oh and heads up. Any of you guys in FL looking to build. He just moved down there a month or so ago. Bet he opens another co and rips some more people off.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Yep, my area is full of those Ba$&*$ that do a half a$$ed job and then file bankruptcy. There is one right up the road from me that had a road building company, and you should see his property. Its 90 acres, with a fully poured concrete 20' wide driveway leading to it that must be over 900 feet in length. The entire three sides of his property is fenced with 6' tall wrought iron picket type fence............and the back is chainlink...........a couple of JD tractors to cut grass, numerous other types of lawn and garden and general use equipment (ATV's, GAtors, ZTR's etc etc and enough out buildings to call it a town..............the kids playhouse is bigger than my barn is.........Him and her Hummer's, horses etc etc.............and this was all built after he went bankrupt. He does not work at anything anymore just closes his big old driveway gates by remote control an keeps out the bill collectors I guess..........He is set for life I assume and he is only in his 40's. No telling who and howmuch he owes to folks he screwed when he went bankrupt. I sort of think a lot of folks and companies have going bankrupt in their expansion plans.......and actually look forward to it. They manipulate and direct funds over a period of time to an account, and once its built up and large, they file, and live happily ever after.


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

that hydsroseeding is pretty nice... but to save money.. a spreader and a bunch of bales of hay will work.. but probably not as good a job as the pro's do...


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Ya I am thinking to save water, I may wait a week or so after the hydroseeding, to do the rest. Got about 1 1/2 acre to seed, and thats a lot of water to keep it all wet. That way the hydroseeding demand for water will be calming down, in time to do the rest.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

*GOT GRASS*

OK, not grass, but it IS green. Guys came today, power raked, and spryed 4 1/2 tanks of Hydroseed. Looks nice. The good thing????? Looks like off, and on light rain for the next week.   How cool is that???? So new hydroseed, cool nights, warm days, light off, and on rain, can there be a BETTER start to a lawn? 


Now I cant wait to mow it


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

*We got LAWN!!!!*

Did my first mowing on about 1/3 of the new grass last night. Looks AWSOME!!!! Been SO long with mud, and rocks, it's nice to have green. 

Here are some pictures......


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Parts of the yard are real thick, and other parts real thin. We have had some REAL bad storms, and I think a lot of the sead/fert mix got washed out of some places. Here is a picture of the back yard aera. It is protected by trees, and is kinda shaded and it had taken off BIG time!!! Mowed it last night, and realy should have sooner. Will need another in a few days.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Now the side yard is not doing as well. It is full sun, and open to the wether. It has some dark green spots, and a lot of yellowed aeras, so I am thinking a lot of the seed/fert mix settled into the low spots. I am going to grab some fert today, and go over the whole aera. It is growing, just not as well as other parts.


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Paul, I know you must be tremendously pleased with your progress. Going from unlevel dirt and problems to a nice lawn.
All of the work is definately worth it and congratulate you on the ability to stay the course and get it going in the right direction. 
What seed and fertilizer did you end of putting down? Did you ever get a chance to run a ph test on the soil to determine its levels? These factors will help determine the best course of action for treatment and foundation for your new lawn areas. I bet you are glad you finally got your mower working too! 

Keep us posted and good work! 
Andy


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

Looks good Paul nice job:thumbsup:


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Great job Paul! That is a huge improvement looking at the before and after pictures. Looks like the grass is well established and should hold up to the summer heat. Next season it should come back even better. I had overwhelming good results with 19-19-19 that I purchased at the local Coop but you have to put it down early in the season and be prepared to cut it about every 5 days when it gets grow at its peak.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

I realy don't know the grass type other then it is a fiscue[sp???] as of now the only fert it has had it the starter fert that was spryed with the grass.

Went out today and picked some up though. I like to use just organics, so went to the feed store and was checking out what they have. Got me 5 bag of ground corn for $6.95 a 50lb bag. Kinda nice not only using something that you can get on your hands, but something you could eaven eat if you wanted to. 


Bad news?? My spreader died right when I was starting to spread it.  The plastic gears that drive it gave up the goast. Well off spreader shopping tonight I guess.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

No test yet. Going to wait the summer, and just my organic ferts, and am planning a big resead on the whole land in fall. At that time I will test and ammend what is needed. Figure it will be about 2-3 years till I get it to where I am happy with it.


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Fertilize with ground corn? Never used that before. Sulphur, Lime, manure, etc...but no corn...does it work for ya?

-A


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

well corn meal realy. Ya it works well. Also Cornmeal is one of the best things going if you have any kind of fungus in your lawn. First time in this large of an aera though.


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by admin _
> *Fertilize with ground corn? Never used that before. Sulphur, Lime, manure, etc...but no corn...does it work for ya?
> 
> -A *



organic fertilizer.. corn meal = corn gluten meal also called CGM works great.. i use it too...

cgm link 

paul the lawn looks great...


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

one more CGM link..

cgm link


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by simple_john _
> *organic fertilizer.. corn meal = corn gluten meal also called CGM works great.. i use it too...
> 
> cgm link
> ...


Thanks, we had a lot of sun this weekend, and it is realy growing well.

BTW CGM is diferent then corn meal. Bolth are great ferts, but CGM wouks great to stop weed grouth, and CM is great for controling fungus.

Only problem I have been having with the CM is it is not easy to spred. It is pretty fine, and tends to clump in the spreader. My feed store is expecting a load of Alafla pellets in soon, so I will give them a rip next time.


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