Growing grass on previous grove lot

[Keeth1123]

Will hopefully be taking on a long term project starting soon with the purchase of 5acres that used to be a grove. In my opinion, the grove was in decent shape before the trees were removed. I am wanting to level out all of the holes caused by tree removal and work my way to seeding and having a lawn after a while.


I am looking for tips on how to do this. I was thinking I would first have to flatten everything out and disturb the soil (possibly with forks on box blade). Then seed the area before flattening everything back out with the blade. Then water routinely for some time. I would not be doing the entire parcel at one time, but would probably try to grow it in sections instead.

Has anyone had any luck doing this with an old grove in Florida?

 

[skeets]

I would think that a landscape rake would work well for what you need

 

[Creature Meadow]

I disk or tiller could be an option which would give you soil to move around.

A landscape rake would be a good tool to level out the broke up ground.

Perhaps depending on how many holes you could have some loads of topsail delivered and fill the holes using the FEL if you have one.

Tilling down the rwos where the trees were and then raking seems like a good method.

Post some pics if you can of what you are up against may help in offering ideas.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Sandy Florida soil? How deep/wide are the holes? Do you have any implements now? What size tractor do you have. How many months/years do you want to spend?

I would seriously consider hiring a large piece of machinery like a laser-following grader to grade off the whole lot in a day or two. If you are bent on doing it yourself and have anything bigger than an L-model handy, a land plane with the scarifiers out will generate material that will "kind of" fill the holes, if your tractor is big enough to cross the holes. You can then push with the box blade while traveling in reverse. The result is not going to be very flat though and it will take you forever.

If you want something that is flat and you can mow after all this work, seriously consider hiring it done.

 

[ehenry]

I'm with Ray. A grading plane for leveling and a box for moving material around.

 

[m32825]

Welcome, fellow Central Florida tractor guy!

-- Carl

 

[m32825]

I grew up in the middle of a square mile of orange groves. The sandy soil had good drainage properties, but not a lot of organic material.

A couple times a year they would run down the rows of the grove spreading chicken manure to give the trees nutrients. After a good rain, boy, was that a memorable olfactory experience!

Point is, if you're wanting to grow a lawn, you're probably going to need some topsoil to dress it so you have something to hold moisture and provide nutrients. One thing that seems to grow like gangbusters on old orange groves is subdivisions. The way they get nice green lawns is by throwing sod, which comes with topsoil and an established root system.

Do you want your property "mostly smooth" or "flat". You can do mostly smooth with enough time, effort, and determination. Flat, especially if you want a certain slope or elevations for drainage, is a much tougher job. I would drive around with the box blade to get it kind of smooth, then drag a chain harrow over it to make the surface more uniform.

A box blade smooths an area in the direction of travel, so plan on doing passes in multiple directions. It helps to be able to run off the area you're leveling in all directions. One more factor to consider if you're doing it piecemeal, how do you smoothly blend the edge of the new piece with the established grass on last year's piece?

You can get a degree in growing grass, there's a lot to know. If you're starting with bahia seed it requires 30 days of consistent irrigation to sprout, then more to get it established. If local government has restrictions on irrigation you can register with them to get an exception while your grass is sprouting.

-- Carl

 

[RCW]

I grew up in the middle of a square mile of orange groves..
One thing that seems to grow like gangbusters on old orange groves is subdivisions. -- Carl

That’s really scary.
Food production land doesn’t demand Medicare, Medicaid, ambulances or fire trucks. Subdivisions do.
Once those acres are converted, they’ll never be orange groves again.
Have seen the same in upstate New York with dairy farms.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Keeth1123]

Lots of information here so I will try to respond accordingly. As far as tractor, I’m taking delivery of a B2650 tomorrow and will have a loader and a box blade with it. The old holes aren’t really that big or deep, with the exception of maybe a few. There were none that I wouldn’t tackle by hand.

My wordage would be more for smoothe I guess. The goal is to have good
Surface for running a belly mower in the future and read many things about bad results with uneven surfaces. Just looking for a nice even surface to help the deck.

As far as groves turning, I remember thinking my dad was old when he would drive me around and point out all the places that used to be groves. Now, I catch myself doing the same thing. My mother has lived on two acres wedged in the middle of groves. Recently, the grove by her front yard sold and is the new home of what will be a 370 home community. Four decades of living in a spot where you drive down the groves to get home. Now a subdivision is so close you could pi$$ on someone’s yard from her entrance road.

Can you buy top soil in bulk? I’m guessing you would spread this out after seeding.

 

[RCW]

Can you buy top soil in bulk? I***8217;m guessing you would spread this out after seeding.

You should be able to locate a landscaper or excavating company that sells screened topsoil by the cubic yard. Some can/will haul it, others will load your trailer, etc.

Prices vary greatly in different areas. I'd be guessing as to a per-yard price.

 

[skeets]

A little off thread here but yeah KEETH I k now what your saying, places we hunted and trapped and camped are now housing tracts! And when I tell the grand babies about a farm and where the spring house was and how the creeks flowed, where the barns were and fields filled with corn and hay. I get, where Pap ? Well where the houses are, and I get the look of Pap those houses have always been there. For a 12 or 14 year old thats true, but I digress. Now we return you to our scheduled program

 

[m32825]

You should be able to locate a landscaper or excavating company that sells screened topsoil by the cubic yard. Some can/will haul it, others will load your trailer, etc.

Prices vary greatly in different areas. I'd be guessing as to a per-yard price.

If my ciphering is correct, you need close to 700 cubic yards to add an inch of topsoil to 5 acres. So you need to price it by the dump truck load, then multiply by 70.

 

[RCW]

If my ciphering is correct, you need close to 700 cubic yards to add an inch of topsoil to 5 acres. So you need to price it by the dump truck load, then multiply by 70.

Yeah, I think your calcs are correct.

While the OP inquired about availability of bulk, I was thinking it's a case where topsoil would be as/where needed. I assume there is some cover on it that won't need work, etc.

Sounds like some grading/raking should happen before the trucks show up...It would be A LOT of stuff to cover 5 acres 1" deep!