Preparing and leveling soil in formerly wooded area for planting

[jackmichigan]

Originally Posted by SuperDave72

A few things:

A play area for the kids. Probably box it in and do that rubber playground mulch with a nice playset/swingset.

I'd think twice about putting down the so-called rubber mulch. Ground up tires can be a mess when they mix with your soil and they are a pain to remove--which you might have to do when you go to sell.

[snofarmer]

I'd use a bobcat with a soil renovator or you can also use a walk behind version
You can move soil around with it.
You can control the depth so you don't kill the roots of the trees you want to save and it won't compact the soil like a dozer will.

Originally Posted by SuperDave72

My new home has a 3 acre lot - 1.5 acres of which was wooded until spring of 2011, when the previous owner cleared it all. It now is mostly bare land with a few dead weeds (since it's December) and a bunch of holes where stumps were removed. The place looks like a minefield! They didn't even leave any of the woodchips from stump removal, so it's just a bunch of holes, probably almost 100 of them although many are small.

My initial thought was, well, could I have someone come in with a farmer's plow to turn it over and smooth it out? It would cost a LOT to buy enough topsoil or fill dirt to fill these holes.

Is my idea feasible? Would they turn up a bunch of roots (or damage their equipment on them) trying this?

Before anyone asks, the home itself and immediate front half of the yard is gorgeous! That's why we bought it. We're just working on the back half of the lot.

Thanks!

[luv4horses]

The depth of the topsoil might be a factor. The high organic layer under pines is only a few inches thick, while with hardwoods it might be more distributed. If you plow and level a thin organic layer you might deposit the good stuff irregularly. So if there were previously pines, it might be better just to crudely level it then apply 4 iches of good top soil.

[SuperDave72]

I'd assume it was mostly hardwoods, since that is what mostly grows in the woods around here. You see a pine here and there, but not many unless planted.