Todays Task - Attempt to Create More Grass ( Not directly Valkyrie Related)

[carolinarider09]

We have several areas on our property that are well packed clay.  I believe that some of these areas were, at one time, farmed but…..  Not in recent years it appears.

So, I decided I would look into the process getting some grass to grow and it seemed that getting a plug aerator would help.  

Got it put together today and took it our for a trial run.



Well, I was sort of right when I said packed clay.  And since it has not rained in a week or more (creek has some dry areas but still has some running water), the soil was very dry and hard.

So, there were very few, if any, plugs in the area I tried it in.  It just for sort of hopped along.

Here is what I used to pull it..



Well, I also have a Massey Ferguson Model 1250 diesel tractor and when I bought it in 1996, I started to buy tractor stuff.   Among the stuff I bought were two single blade “plows” and what I call a “disc Harrow”.  



So, my wife said why not try it and since I have not really ever used it before, I decided to give it a try.  



Now, the disc harrow did bounce around but it actually make some “marks” in the soil which I think will be a start in losing up the soil and allow some real grass to grow.





Next step is to add some “top soil” and then either water with a sprinkler or hope it rains.  And then run the disk harrow over the area again.  

Now, if any you have suggestions about how and what.  I would be happy to hear them.  I just want some nice green grass, nothing really special, just green grass.  

[scooperhsd]

I get that - I just want a green lawn (don't care if it is weed infested either). What I could use some ideas on is how to get rid of prairie dogs / ground hogs....

[POPS 57]

Worked on the grounds crew at the Minneapolis M.N. V.A. for 14 years. Rent a power rake go two different   directions on the soil. Then seed and lightly rake and water.   

[Serk]

You see, when a mommy grass and a daddy grass love each other very much.....


...did you try towing it behind your Valk by any chance?

(Sorry, nothing constructive to add... My "yard" is 90% weeds and 10% exposed clay in heavily shaded areas, but I happily mow the weeds anyway, as stated above, at least they're green.)

Our house came with a full sprinkler system, we used it the first year or two but our city has the most expensive water in the D/FW Metromess and we just don't care that much, by now it'd probably take a lot of work and/or money to even get the sprinklers functional again due to atrophy...

[carolinarider09]

I tried the "spike aerator" on another part of our property were there was more grass but some "bald" spots.  I watered the area before spiking and it made it work a little better.

The local "supplier" I visited last Saturday has "topsoil" at $65 per ton.  Minimum of three tons delivered.  So, I will be getting some new soil and the only real issue is "distribution" once unloaded.  Depends on the sized of the delivery truck.

That is the next step. 

Oh, I played with the "topsoil".  Got a handful and tried to make sure it was more than just sandy dirt and also, not "stones".   Seemed ok. 

[POPS 57]

I should have been more specific on the power rake. It has a motor that moves it while rotating blades slice the soil. It only goes down about an inch with the blades around a half inch apart. We used it on compacted soil and grass that needed more seed to fill in.

[da prez]

  If you have a sewer treatment facility near by , the processed matter used to be available for the cost of trucking.  We have organic matter composting fields (weeds and other landscape matter) with the same ,pay for delivery. They used to sell it , but got overwhelmed by the quantities. 

                                              da prez

[da prez]

  Scooperhead , have a prairie dog cook out. Shoot your own meal, Guaranteed fresh. Shoot some extras for the food banks.

                                                da prez

[JimmyG]

We have a lot of clay around here too. I would plow the area deep, bring in a load of sand, and compost, then disc it all in, then drag the area till smooth.

[carolinarider09]

We have a lot of clay around here too. I would plow the area deep, bring in a load of sand, and compost, then disc it all in, then drag the area till smooth.

I had considered the above.  I have two plows but they are single bladed so.....   I can plow a narrow trench or a wider more shallow trench.   But the process mentioned above is what I thought was the "way".   

We shall see.  Got a cost estimate on topsoil.   The use of sand is an idea I have seen before but the topsoil I found seems to be well "founded" (don't know if that is the correct word or not).   It did not have any bark in it that I could feel and did clump when I grabbed a handful and squeezed it.  I thought that was a good sign for actual soil and not just "stuff".

Be a while since I had an AG classes. 

[OnaWingandaPrayer]

On the disc, can you adjust the front axle ? If you can adjust it so the front axle/blades are reverse angle to the rear set it should cut a little more. (I think the adjustment is made on the disc frame center spine.) Also you could add weight to the disc frame for deeper cut. (unless you were holding that depth with the hydraulic rather than letting it run deeper)

[carolinarider09]

On the disc, can you adjust the front axle ? If you can adjust it so the front axle/blades are reverse angle to the rear set it should cut a little more. (I think the adjustment is made on the disc frame center spine.) Also you could add weight to the disc frame for deeper cut. (unless you were holding that depth with the hydraulic rather than letting it run deeper)

I will check. I have not really looked into making adjustments, did not see any that "stood out" but will look and see.

And I was running the disk at what I will call "full drop" (i.e. tractor lift lever all the way down). 

[Jersey mike]

I remembered your last post of how to aerate and discussion on that.

I kept meaning to return and say I thought zoysia grows well on clay and the you posted this thread.

So I looked it up just to confirm and this article confirms it, but like anything else, another may refute that.

Just food for thought. Also look up photos of zoysia grass if you’re not familiar with it.

https://thrivingyard.com/will-zoysia-grow-in-clay-soil/