Advice on using a Rotavator

[Pedroski]

15x7m will be easy with a 2 wheel rotavator. Make sure you spend a bit of time getting used to operating it - I can't imagine anything worse than being dragged through a fence by one or ripping up the edge of a paved area in front of a customer Rotavate several times to break up big lumps, level out, roll, rake, roll, rake etc, till you get nice flat surface, loosen surface with rake, rake out stones and clumpy weeds, add some decent top soil if the soil is poor, and seed. Again, I personally wouldn't worry too much about spraying weeds unless I was wanting a bowling green - new grass and mower will take care of them. If you want to spray then do so before rotavating and leave plenty of time for the weeds to die off.

[headgroundsman]

This is your best chance to get rid of any perenial weeds like docks and dandilions. they will certainly not be killed by mowing so spray first, rotavate, seed.

[ATC1983]

Only question now is how to get into corners and stuff and around a small stone path he has - will the rotavator reach into difficult areas?

[Pedroski]

Only question now is how to get into corners and stuff and around a small stone path he has - will the rotavator reach into difficult areas?

Dig over a spade depth manually

[likeitorlumpit]

Mate- you can kill existing weeds with roundup but that won't stop existing weed seeds in the soil germinating along with your new sown grass seed so you've got to ask the question whether it's worth it.

That depends on the weeds- if they are soft growth then they will easily rotavate in- if hard(old dock/bramble/ big thistle) or if they have a lot of volume(you don't want to be variably digging in big weed) then best to clear somehow= mow or strim and rake depending on the site.

You sound very new to this and I would recommend you really bone up on gardening as you will find it's not the job so much as conversations with customers that will let you down- they will ask you the name of something and when you don't know what a buddleia is or whether a tree is an ash or oak then you will feel inadequate and slightly cowboy. Unfortunately you can't make a business from rotavating alone- you need multi skills.

Go to college or spend some time working at a garden centre or with a gardener who will show you the ropes and you will save yourself a lot of embarrassment. Seriously this is good advice- it'll give you the confidence to succeed. Confidence in yourself translates to the customer and they will be happier to employ you.

[ATC1983]

And I think finally - is a rotavator sufficient or would a turf cutter be required - bearing in mind I'll be commencing rotavation after weedkilling two weeks earlier?

[Pedroski]

And I think finally - is a rotavator sufficient or would a turf cutter be required - bearing in mind I'll be commencing rotavation after weedkilling two weeks earlier?

 

Rotavator will be plenty enough - you'll be effectively ploughing everything back in, which will help the soil. Turf cutter to remove existing lawn is pointless. The only time I would remove existing turf would be if I returfing without rotavating, i.e. removing turf, adding topsoil, and laying new turf. And I'd remove the turf just with a spade, simple enough. But for what you're doing (spraying, rotavating, re-seeding) then don't bother removing the turf.

[Ty Korrigan]

Hello,

I don't know the scale of your garden so this may not be good for you.

Much as above really except here in France I often use a compact tracked digger to rag out all the roots after I've cut and cleared then use it to decompact the soil by turning it over.

This also turns in alot of the surface weed seeds I find and gives a better result for sowing lawns.

Easier on the rota and wrists after too!

I find lawns sown late in the year (up to December) have fewer weeds than spring sown lawns.

Regards

Ty

[Pedroski]

Hmmm, no reply from ATC1983.... hope he didn't run himself over with the rotavator! Easy to do in reverse.

[ATC1983]

No - not so unfortunate - guy never came back about the job, so it's still on standby. Might rent one myself over the weekend and do my dad's back yard - two patches could be done, one of them fairly uneven, but now overgrown after reseeding - but impossible to get a mower over owing to its uneven tilt. But might do them both to get practice in.

 

I know I can get a big one from my husky dealer for around £450 but not sure of the specs and what it's best suited for.