Advice on using a Rotavator

[ATC1983]

Ok - but after I apply the roundup - will the grass and weeds be lifted up or pulled out by hand before rotavation or after rotavation?

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

They should be dead by the time you rotovate so just rotovate them in. Break up any large clods with a fork and rake to a fine tilth. Any surface weeds/debris that get caught up in the rake can be disposed of. You will need to shuffle across the surface of the soil to flatten it then rake over once more before applying your seed.

[headgroundsman]

how big is the area? what soil type?(sand, loam or clay)

[Woodworks]

When we made our lawn from a piece of rough ground we took advice from a landscape gardener fiend this is how we were recommended to do it from memory, no chemicals were needed.

 

We first rotavated over the whole area (we do have a tractor mounted one so this was easy).

 

Then we raked of the surface weeds and rocks.

 

Tread down the whole surface.

 

Spread seed evenly by hand (it was surprising how far the seed went)

 

Lightly rake and leave to sprout.

 

This was quite a large area and it now looks great. He told us not to worry about the weeds that come up with the grass as later mowing will get rid of them. Apparently September is the best month for doing this. We have also found a book called The Lawn Expert very useful.

 

Good luck with whatever system you use.

[Goaty]

If the ground isnt too up hill, down dale, Id hire a flail scalp it, then clear the vegetation or heap to compost or burn on site.

 

If its just going to be grass. I wouldn't worry about weeds coming through as with time the mower will weaken and kill most weeds such as dock, nettle and the annual weeds that will burst in to life when its cleared.

You may get away with scarifying with a good industrial type of scarifier. Some flail mowers can get interchangeable blades to mow or scarify.

To do this sort of job as a business you need a 2 wheel pedestrian tractor or 4 wheel compact I think. If you use an allotment type garden cultivator you will wreck it and yourself.

[Stubby]

Unless your customer loves mowing 3 times a week DON'T seed it with Italian Rye grass It grows a 100 miles an hour !!

[Burytreeman]

sorry mate if you were north west could have helped you out with rotavator

[ATC1983]

Thanks for offer - will end up just passing cost onto client - it's looking around £45 a day, so I'm assuming it will take about 10 hours of work, rotavating, raking flatenning, then reseeding.

 

I think I will go down the route of attempting to kill everything chemically - I think 3 bottles of round up should do this - about 9L - but will take out a lot of weeds by hand first of all with the fiskers just to kill a off a lot of them and ensure I get them. I'll probably do this at night sometime - then return next day for chemicals, leave 2 weeks, then rotavate the life out of it and spend a day at this.

 

Is it good to be reseeded straight away? And will the chemicals not affect the new seed growth?

[headgroundsman]

do not try to remove any weeds first as any roots would grow back. round up needs a good amount of leaf area to work. once it is on the soil it is inactivated so as soon as the ground has been rotavated you can get on with reseeding. do not think applying more roundup that recommended with be better as it will just be a waste.

[Hodge]

do not try to remove any weeds first as any roots would grow back. round up needs a good amount of leaf area to work. once it is on the soil it is inactivated so as soon as the ground has been rotavated you can get on with reseeding. do not think applying more roundup that recommended with be better as it will just be a waste.

 

Well said mate, do t bother picking weeds out, kill em the rotorvate! End of !