Interesting how mixed the opinions are I'm getting. Seems like no perscriptive way gold do this.....
There isn’t one and only one way to do it. There’s the “I need to change the grade and flatten a 1/4 acre” landscaping type method. That involves landscaping type implements such as tiller, box blade, land plane, landscape rake, harley rake, etc. In a small area you couldn’t get a plow or disc harrow started good before you’re done and you’d still be working the edges with something else most likely.
There’s the more agricultural based, “I don’t need to change the grade but I do need to change what’s growing there and get the ridges, lumps, and holes out of 10 acres+ to make the old corn field into a pasture“ method. That would involve ag implements such as plow, disc harrow, and drag harrow (which could be a chain harrow or a railroad tie, etc.). Trying to work many, many acres with a tiller and box blade would take forever and a day.
The size of the area looks like it’s kind of in between. Soil type and compaction also plays into it. If you have reasonably workable soil you might be successful working it up with a tiller. If you have clay (like I have in my yard) it is either wet and will clump up into a muddy mess or it is dry and it is like tilling concrete. Sandy or loamy soil, the tiller may work well. So to some degree it depends on what implements you have and if you’re buying implements what you might use long term v just for this one job. Depends on what you can rent if you don’t need it long term. You may be able to rent a tiller. Good luck renting a plow. Also depends on what, if any, implements you are comfortable with and have skills to use.
The basic premise is you have to get rid of the grass you have now to keep it from coming back so you can grow something else, level out the dirt, pulverize it into a decent seed bed that can be leveled so it isn’t a lumpy bunch of clods, and either lightly compact it with a roller or stay off it until rain, new grass, and time solidify it into a walkable surface.
If you can’t till it, I’d lean toward plowing to turn the existing grass upside down to kill it, disc it after it has dried some, and drag it into a final seed bed condition before planting new grass. If you can find a local farmer or landscaper to drill in the new grass seed, that would be ideal to maximize germination and also would take care of the light compaction requirement. If you can’t, broadcast seeding and cover with straw does work if you have prepared the seed bed appropriately. Particularly if you don’t drill the new seed, plan on overseeding at least a couple more times before you have an adequate stand of grass.
None of that would change the grade. If you need to change the grade that would be box blade/loader territory.
I lean toward the ag method to some degree because although I don’t currently farm anything, I did many years ago so that’s what I’m most familiar with in this type operation. Others may lean more toward the landscaping type solution based on their experience.
You are correct that there’s more than one “right” method to accomplish your goal. Personally, I couldn’t tell you with absolute certainty what way is definitely best without walking out into the area you want to fix and at least putting a shovel into it in a couple of places to know exactly what soil type and level of compaction you’re dealing with. Biggest problem I see from afar with plowing and possibly discing is your tractor has turf tires. Plowing with turf tires, particularly if the ground is really hard, is a pretty dicey proposition. Even though you don’t need to go very deep turf tires aren’t ideal for the drawbar force needed for plowing.
For plowing (and definitely for subsoiling) the utility lines, if any, may also restrict what you can get away with depending on how deep they are and what your plans are. Not only are utility lines expensive, I have personally hit a 14kV power line with a trencher (locator man screwed up) and it’s not an experience I’d like to repeat.
