Cost of weedkilling construction site lawn

jollyman · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:31 am Post subject:

The top layer was wet, but this was due to it being compacted for the last 12 months was no drainage as soon as he dug it had lovely dry topsoil was great to see it from the mess of weeds that was there.
Hopefully the weather keeps up now, would i buy a cheap spreader somewhere or jst rent for €35 a day? And a roller, guess i should hire one of these too?

jollyman · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:13 pm Post subject:

Been pricing seed and seeds direct have offered me a mix like nr 2 with no chewings fescue, what would ye think of this?

Michael196 · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:05 pm Post subject:

bents and fescues are included in first rate lawns like what you see on a golf course. Have grown this type out front. advantage is carpet like thick lawn that does not go wild mad growing in summer, disadvantage is slow to grow ( but less to cut in summer) and needs regular feeding to maintain high quality look.

no 2 seeds include meadow grasses and ryegrass, timothy and crested dogs tails varieties.

jollyman · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:00 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that michael, appreciate the info

jollyman · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:58 am Post subject:

Hi all, i realise this does not belong to this forum but since i have my info on this topic i thought i would include this here. We hae the lawn levelled letting it dry for a day or two now before rotavating it. We are planning putting in two hedges one along a post and rail fence to about 1.5m tall its open to the wind and in a sea area, i have looked at james list on hedging its a great source, could i plant the three varities of escalonia there, and should i do this before the seed, ie not set seed in the line where i intend to set the hedge and what time of year is good for planting this hedge.
The second hedge is to the back of the house there is an existing ditch that we cant do anything with it has furze bushes growing on it, we want to plant a hedge inside this to hide it bout 2.2m tall more sheltered than the other area, and a silly question we are in amongst fields of grain so i know there is rats in that ditch any hedge that would discourage them coming through?

jollyman · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:57 am Post subject:

Hello me again,

Ok the tracksmachine has levelled up the place and the soil seems dry, but i guess its so light and fluffy (wrong words i know) when you walk it, your shoes sink three to four inches in it, does this need to be compacted or what should we do with it, had planned on rotavating it today but i reckon the dexta will do more damage then good with tyre marks, would it?

Forum Product Finder · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:49 pm Post subject:

Lawn seed

Bobwilliams · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:50 pm Post subject:

If it is fluffy is there a need to rotovate it at all. Why not just rake it out as powder soil is not required. As you are raking it you will be settling it down as well.
You will have to give it a touch of the rake after the dexta anyway to level out any imperfections.

jollyman · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:00 pm Post subject:

Sorry now you will have to excuse my ignorance on this topic, my soil is like the stuff in the background on this video but fluffier Smile

and i need to to get it soft and flat i presume
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx0qKdhe_GA&feature=related

The local plant hire have this bob cat, he said it will rotavate and push stones to the side as we use it, would this be worth it, the dexta might be too heavy??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JHENAH1v6I

James Kilkelly, was GPI. · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:17 pm Post subject:

The soil should have the texture of cake crumbs; it should not be fine like powder as this will prevent seed germination caused by soil capping.
Also, if the soil is raked too fine it will turn into a "mud pie" with the first heavy rain shower, and your newly sown seed will be washed into a pool at a low point in the site.

The skid steer stoneraker is a brilliant machine, but there is a learning curve with it.
I have see many first-timers lose a day just getting to grips with it, avoiding rutting/over cultivation, plus reversing and keeping level without knocking boundary walls etc.
Have you used this attachment or a skid steer before jollyman?
Also be aware that a certain amount of stones in the soil are beneficial to drainage and soil warming.

Get the lawn as flat as you are happy with whilst keeping the texture like cake crumbs that is the trick.
Doing this with the least amount of expense and heavy traffic on sit is the other trick. Very Happy

Some of the best lawns I have see sown have been prepared using just a good man on a track machine and another on a hand rake.

jollyman · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:22 pm Post subject:

Nope never used anything like it, but he said he would send an instructor with it in the morning, €240 for the day, the garden currently is perfectly level, its like the picture in the header of my blog, but as i say the soil when you step on to it, u will sink three to four inches, its not because its wet its well.... just fluffy Smile

I dunno what to do so, its an awful size of a lawn to attack with just a rake...

cooler · Ash Tree Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 239

What will rotavating it achieve? I mean if it is light and fluffy and without big stones on the surface sure just give it a light rake over then shake the seed.
I can see a tractor rotovator or bobcat raker causing problems on that slope to the front as well. All the weight will be on one side if you work across and if you work up or down the slope then id say the bobcat raker could be tricky to work.

jollyman · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:45 am Post subject:

Well the bobcat arrived 11 0 clock saturday morning and by half 11, i was sitting in it, up to the axels stuck in the font lawn not a good start had to get a tractor to pull me out. The front lawn is just too wet, plan is to let that for another day or two and put a tractor and power harrow in there, the stone raker and crumbler did a great job of the back lawn, and the lawn outside the fence though, so got value for money out of it for a finish. When sewing seed how long would u hope that it does not rain for afterwards?

James Kilkelly, was GPI. · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:10 am Post subject:

[quote="jollyman"] When sewing seed how long would u hope that it does not rain for afterwards?[/quote]

Once the seed is sown the rain can arrive straight away, no problems.

jollyman · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:17 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that James... well have spent the last two nites picking stones, dunno what im going to do with all of them, would safely reckon have at least 8 tonne of them Shocked

The lawn is being sown tomorrow and thursday by my uncle, thanks for all yer help here, oh ya the power harrow and tractor did the trick on the front lawn after.