[Ingersoll444]

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.

 

[Ingersoll444]

More of the mess I have.

 

[Ingersoll444]

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.

 

[Ingersoll444]

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

 

[Adamr88]

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

 

[Ingersoll444]

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

 

[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.

 

[Ingersoll444]

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........

 

[Chris]

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:

 

[guest]

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>

 

[Chris]

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

Thanks for sharing the info, SJ

Andy

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[slipshod]

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".

 

[Argee]

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:

 

[guest]

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>

 

[guest]

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

 

[Ingersoll444]

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.

 

[guest]

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..

 

[Ingersoll444]

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!!!!!!!!!!