Go BottomWooded lot - implements techniques to work the soil
 | sprobst
Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 17 Indiana 
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2004-12-01 101407
I have a moderately wooded lot with mature trees. I'd like to plant grass in the open areas.
I plan to use my loader (with toothbar) to dig out saplings and then work the soil with a 60" tiller. I'm sure I will encounter a fair amount of roots (alive and dead). I have 2 questions:
1. Would a box scraper with scarifiers do a better job than the tiller at working the soil in the woods?
2. What is the best technique? I'm sure I don't want to work the soil very deep as I do not want to disturb the live tree roots. Any advice?
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| denwood
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 542 Quarryville PA 
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2004-12-01 101410
Most of a trees feeder roots are in the top 12 inches of soil. Once you pluck or mow off unwanted growth, consider topdressing with 2" of top soil for the grass. Don't go too deep with the topdress or you will injure the trees, tilling will also injure the trees greatly. Every wound is a potential entry point for pathogens as well as stressfful for the trees. ....
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 | earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan 
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2004-12-03 101511
I did an acre-size job for a guy the same way you described, excepet I used the the hoe-end of a backhoe. If I had to do it again I would brush hog everything you don't want which effectively chips everything in place so you don't have to pick it up later. And it will decompose later. After brushhogging you can then dig out the roots and will end up with a debris pile a fraction of the size had you left them whole. ....
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 | grinder
Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 677 central Maine
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2004-12-04 101555
Rent a Vermeer 252 stump cutter for the day,after doing all your cutting of brush and tree's. You can take the stumps down to grade or up to 13" below without disturbing the
roots of neighboring tree's. You will be amazed how many you can do in a day.
Rake out the chips and you will be able to mow.
....
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 | dsg
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 528 Franklin, Maine
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2004-12-04 101597
Anything to large to bush hog, cut as low to the ground as you can and chip, leaving the chips on the ground. Then just keep bush hogging the area as things grow,throw out a little grass seed. The roots of the old saplings will rot and make good soil for the grass along with the chips.
David ....
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 | acerguy
Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 69 Wisconsin
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2004-12-08 101876
If it's that wooded are you sure that grass will even grow? Something to keep in mind. One summer...about 23 years ago I think...I worked for one of those lawn services that does liquid fertilizer application. I can't tell you how many times we got calls from folks that wanted grass to grow up under their big maples and were frustrated that just spraying on a bunch of fertizer didn't do the job. I'd have to, gently, tell them that it was just too shady to grow grass. ....
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