Regrading property (lawn, landscape, growing, fertilizers)

[ukrkoz]

Not really a garden question yet..
I am intending to re grade about 4 acre of my property. Right now it's basically a lawn. Very uneven, previous owner didn't put good effort into grading.

Here's my question. What will be a good part of the year to do so? I live in PacNW, so it rains all the way till June or into it. Grass starts growing mid March, though we had so far very warm weather, likely I'll end up mowing late February. It's getting there.

By re grading, I don't mean simply smoothing out. I mean - I'll get a guy with mid size dozer in, basically, there will be quite some areas left as open soil. Then back to grass/lawn.

Thank you

[georgeinbandonoregon]

Originally Posted by ukrkoz

Not really a garden question yet..
I am intending to re grade about 4 acre of my property. Right now it's basically a lawn. Very uneven, previous owner didn't put good effort into grading.

Here's my question. What will be a good part of the year to do so? I live in PacNW, so it rains all the way till June or into it. Grass starts growing mid March, though we had so far very warm weather, likely I'll end up mowing late February. It's getting there.

By re grading, I don't mean simply smoothing out. I mean - I'll get a guy with mid size dozer in, basically, there will be quite some areas left as open soil. Then back to grass/lawn.

Thank you

think it depends to at least some degree on the nature of your soil---if you have heavy wet clay probably best to wait awhile until it's dry so it's both easier to work in general and less chance of possible harmful soil compaction caused by heavy equipment moving too and fro which MAY negatively impact both soil moisture drainage and plant growth in those compacted soils. OTOH, if (like most of my property here on the southern Oregon coast) the soil is rather sandy and well-drained you MIGHT be able to do just fine right now. if your guy is experienced in grading in your area for landscape purposes (and the key words in this case may be "landscape purposes" and "your area") you might just ask his opinion based on his experience doing that sort of thing.


good luck.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I'd do it in august or early September. The dryer the ground is, the less damage and compaction by heavy machinery. Then you seed grass in the fall. It needs lots of water and cool nights to sprout.

Rearrange the soil late summer or early fall and you have time to smooth out the tractor tracks and amend the soil just before the best time to reseed the lawn.

I got a really good price on fresh lawn seed by buying direct from the farmer in Rickreal Oregon. Buy a copy of The Capital Press and there will be grass seed ads in the classifieds during grass seed harvest time.

[ukrkoz]

Thank you.
It's rocky clay indeed. Water puddles and stays atop very easily. Wish I could re grade all of it, 1.5 acre of property is untouchable wetland. And that's the worst bumps to mow when it dries out. I can go maybe 0.5 mph there. Back breaking.
Guy I have in mind been dozing lifetime. he did neighbor property last year. I surely will ask him.

[harry chickpea]

Actually, I would do it in spring. The soil compaction happens over the course of the summer as the aeration provided by frost works out of the soil. If you are just going back to lawn, whoop-de-flip. What you DO need is someone to come in with a "harley rake." That will whack out and rocks and level the ground leaving about 1/2" to 1" of soil ready to receive grass seed.

[georgeinbandonoregon]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

Actually, I would do it in spring. The soil compaction happens over the course of the summer as the aeration provided by frost works out of the soil. If you are just going back to lawn, whoop-de-flip. What you DO need is someone to come in with a "harley rake." That will whack out and rocks and level the ground leaving about 1/2" to 1" of soil ready to receive grass seed.

interesting. not sure if frost does that much aeration in much of the PNW (USDA 7,8, 9) where significant frosts are generally rather rare in most parts and the ground very rarely freezes more than an inch or two at the very worst and then only for very brief periods.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

I'd do it in august or early September. The dryer the ground is, the less damage and compaction by heavy machinery. Then you seed grass in the fall. It needs lots of water and cool nights to sprout.

Rearrange the soil late summer or early fall and you have time to smooth out the tractor tracks and amend the soil just before the best time to reseed the lawn.

I got a really good price on fresh lawn seed by buying direct from the farmer in Rickreal Oregon. Buy a copy of The Capital Press and there will be grass seed ads in the classifieds during grass seed harvest time.

As a PNW 'We_tsider' do this ^^^^

I do many rural lot 'spiffs' PT business + my own side business (buying and spiffing rural PNW lots).

remove trees in spring.
Kill roots / sprouts / weeds (blackberries) in summer (trap the moles!!!!)

start grading in early Sept (DON'T BE LATE!!! Grass needs 50+ degree soil to germinate) earlier if you must schedule cuz Excavation contractors are ALWAYS late / very busy in fall.

Remove and set aside top soil
Grade for drainage (adding swales and water REMOVAL lines / basins if necessary)
Add erosion control
Grade as desired
replace top soil (add if necessary) Dredging Sand is GREAT for amending PWN soils

Seed (No later than 20 Sept)
Cover with mulch (very important to avoid rain compaction)
Black mulch preferred (Solar gain) Can use a hay shredder / blower also
Keep mulched in winter (erosion control)

Cry (a lot!) when the moles find your newly prepared 'golf-course'

Lime EVERY fall / winter (nutrients leach in PNW)
Fertilize in winter (with minimal nitrogen)

Nitrogen (common summer fertilizers) in the PNW springtime will have you mowing every 15 minutes! (I get 6+inches growth / week...

My 'field grass' is often over 8' tall in June. (never fertilized in last 40 yrs)

BTW: you can 'smooth / level / grade' your wetlands (Unobtrusively)

Light tandem disk followed by a cultipacker (towed by a wide rubber track skidsteer = High flotation) after first rain of fall (2nd rain preferred is still dry enough to traverse and wet enough to form)
https://powersmachining.com/wp-conte...1/GEDC0440.jpg