Best way to spread top soil

[racerboy]

Use 'rustcheck' or similar on the all the ball joints and pins, Remove toplink, disassemble and apply neversieze, then screw it back in. Anything that's supposed to move or be adjusted, oil/lube it NOW before you go play. Sure, remove the excess but be sure they are lubed ! If water gets in, rust forms and can WELD things together really,really good. Yes, takes awhile but inevitable.....

I'd also remove those advertizing stickers unless you're being paid. They'll get scratched up PDQ anyway and more 'orange' looks better. heat gun gets them off easy.

Ok. I’ll do all that this weekend.

 

[racerboy]

I called a ‘local’ place about suitcase weights. They have both the 42 lb. and the 70 lb. weights. I know I can fit 8 of them on the heavy hitch, but was wondering how much weight I need to add and wether I should but the 42 or 70 or a mix of both.

 

[racerboy]

I finally found a place with the 70 lb. suitcase weights in stock (about 2 hr from my house). I picked up 8 of them the other day and added them to the heavy hitch.

 

[racerboy]

So rather than wait for delivery of my box blade (which is still 6 weeks out) I followed the advice here and spread the dirt using my bucket and a rake. I got a decent layer of top soil down and actually started seeding it today, but I stopped because I had two other ideas I wanted to run by the group.
1. How hard would it be for me to install a sprinkler system in the back? The coverage area is not too big (3500 sq/ft).
2. I was also considering calling the local aid company tomorrow to get an estimate on how much it would cost to just buy sod for the area, rather than wait for the seed to take hold. The DIY sprinkler system question applies either way.

 

[racerboy]

Here’s a sketch of the area to cover

 

[racerboy]

To be a little clearer the red line is the edge of the patio and the yellow box is a rock wall

 

[racerboy]

An actual photo of the rock wall and patio

 

[The Evil Twin]

IIRC from when I did the front yard at toe old place (had to keep the HOAwaffen happy) it was 1 head per 100 ft Sq. There are some variance of course, if they are full coverage/ mister/ 180°/ rotory/ spray/ etc.
If you can get 30 psi at 10 gpm to the furthest head then you are looking at around 4 heads per zone. I did 5 in one zone and 6 in another and it worked fine bit the larger zone was closer to the water source.
I think that's how it was...Anyway, there is a formula to all this.
You'll have to run a line through the exterior wall of your home. With a backflow preventer. There is also the winterization routine to purge all the lines. I found it to be a pain in the azz and the water bills (city water) were high. Never again. I'm going to sow microclover this fall at the new place then let nature take its course.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I'm a firm believer in sod instead of seed but make a couple calls and get prices. Remember that if you seed you really need to do it 3 times, fall, spring,fall in order to get a thick, full lawn. Also seed needs to be kept 'moist' until it really 'takes', something you need to do EVERY day....
Sod is a one day labour event, then a heavy watering, every 3-4 days for 2 week =-.
Locally a roll of sod is 2x5 feet, so your lawn would need 3500/10 = 350 rolls. Say $5 per roll, less than $2000. Grass seed cost, you'll have to figure out...depends on mix/blend of grasses and bag size. Obviously you need a spreader and a roller. Spray whole area with 24-d to kill weeds .
new neighbour is 'hydroseeding', after I harrow his yards to prep for the seeding. Maybe an option for you ??
Sprinklers are always added AFTER lawn has become 'established'. You'll need several 'zones' and a controller. If you do install, take pictures and make a map ! Friend has a leak 'somewhere' in one zone. While usually it's a connection at a head, he suspects the cable guy nicked the feed pipe.PITA ,need to make a conductivity probe then wait for real dry ground to locate it.

 

[racerboy]

IIRC from when I did the front yard at toe old place (had to keep the HOAwaffen happy) it was 1 head per 100 ft Sq. There are some variance of course, if they are full coverage/ mister/ 180°/ rotory/ spray/ etc.
If you can get 30 psi at 10 gpm to the furthest head then you are looking at around 4 heads per zone. I did 5 in one zone and 6 in another and it worked fine bit the larger zone was closer to the water source.
I think that's how it was...Anyway, there is a formula to all this.
You'll have to run a line through the exterior wall of your home. With a backflow preventer. There is also the winterization routine to purge all the lines. I found it to be a pain in the azz and the water bills (city water) were high. Never again. I'm going to sow microclover this fall at the new place then let nature take its course.

Thanks. The guy who built my house back in 2002 (he lives up the street now) actually ‘started’ to install a sprinkler system but never finished. I already have a line going out of the basement wall to a distribution box (I think that’s what they call it) that is at the front of the house. He ran piping and sprinkler heads for the front lawn but never did anything about the back. They were never operational as far as I know (I’m the third owner of house) and that’s probably because the initial well was never that strong. I already bought a 3-output timer so I could run regular lawn sprinklers to cover the backyard, so if doing an underground system is too much work I can just go that route.

 

[racerboy]

I'm a firm believer in sod instead of seed but make a couple calls and get prices. Remember that if you seed you really need to do it 3 times, fall, spring,fall in order to get a thick, full lawn. Also seed needs to be kept 'moist' until it really 'takes', something you need to do EVERY day....
Sod is a one day labour event, then a heavy watering, every 3-4 days for 2 week =-.
Locally a roll of sod is 2x5 feet, so your lawn would need 3500/10 = 350 rolls. Say $5 per roll, less than $2000. Grass seed cost, you'll have to figure out...depends on mix/blend of grasses and bag size. Obviously you need a spreader and a roller. Spray whole area with 24-d to kill weeds .
new neighbour is 'hydroseeding', after I harrow his yards to prep for the seeding. Maybe an option for you ??
Sprinklers are always added AFTER lawn has become 'established'. You'll need several 'zones' and a controller. If you do install, take pictures and make a map ! Friend has a leak 'somewhere' in one zone. While usually it's a connection at a head, he suspects the cable guy nicked the feed pipe.PITA ,need to make a conductivity probe then wait for real dry ground to locate it.

Just got off phone with sod company I used last year (only bought one pallet). They gave me a price of about $1750, which includes delivery. I’m definitely going that route. I also asked them for a price on installation and they are going to send that over. I may just do it myself, but wanted to have both options.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If water volume is a problem, consider several totes to collect roof rain water. I had 4000G of rainwater ( 2000G tank + 10 totes) off 1/2 shop roof, 3-4 'good' rains and 1/2acre of veggies got water every 3-4 days,even the giant pumpkins. You can connect a tote to another for abut $25, just did the drawing and price last night. neighbour will have 6 totes ( 3 pairs ) in her setup and only a 15x45 garden, so tons of water. Other neighbour just installed a 4200 gallon cistern in front lawn as he only has 3GPM well. Delv truck hauls 3500 gallons,so when the cistern says 'empty' it really isn't !

 

[FatBaldGuy]

I'm a firm believer in sod instead of seed but make a couple calls and get prices. Remember that if you seed you really need to do it 3 times, fall, spring,fall in order to get a thick, full lawn. Also seed needs to be kept 'moist' until it really 'takes', something you need to do EVERY day....
Sod is a one day labour event, then a heavy watering, every 3-4 days for 2 week =-.
Locally a roll of sod is 2x5 feet, so your lawn would need 3500/10 = 350 rolls. Say $5 per roll, less than $2000. Grass seed cost, you'll have to figure out...depends on mix/blend of grasses and bag size. Obviously you need a spreader and a roller. Spray whole area with 24-d to kill weeds .
new neighbour is 'hydroseeding', after I harrow his yards to prep for the seeding. Maybe an option for you ??
Sprinklers are always added AFTER lawn has become 'established'. You'll need several 'zones' and a controller. If you do install, take pictures and make a map ! Friend has a leak 'somewhere' in one zone. While usually it's a connection at a head, he suspects the cable guy nicked the feed pipe.PITA ,need to make a conductivity probe then wait for real dry ground to locate it.

OK. The FIRST thing you need to do it leave the Grand Socialist Republic NJ. (It was worth it). OK, mostly kidding.
If you are looking for sod, I would suggest if you can get a truck, or trucks, to pick it up there is Reed sod in Alendale. Also in Great Meadows (north of Hackettstown) there are a couple of sod farms and the pickup prices are really good, the quality was excellent.
With all the trees, be sure to account for shade.
Best wishes