lawn rolling

[porthos]

pretty far out question: so, i have a little less than 1 acre. VERY rough and bumpy. i use a cub cadet rider. was wondering if anyone has had any luck using a lawn roller. it gets better: my neighbor is a contractor. he has a small asphalt roller used for driveways. i was thinking of trying it. but, might be too heavy and put creases in the lawn. any thoughts?

[Ozark mike]

If ya have a roller and ya get off in the dirt with the vibrator on it will sink i know that. I imagine grass would not like compacted dirt.

[country gent]

A guy I worked with had a small self propelled roller that he ran a business rolling lawns with. In the spring He was really busy. When you roll the lawn you want it pretty wet so it will compact down then roll from 2-3 dierctions. first north south then east west and last 45* to these, this takes care of "creases". Depending on soil it may take rolling several springs to get it truly flat. If the neighbors roller is one with vibration even better as it will really settle the surface.

Another thing is weather and soil type this ma be a yearly thing with heave from freezing thawing and wet weather.

[Jsm180]

Depends on the soil. I roll several times a year with a 8' x 3' steel roll filled with water pulled with a Ford tractor. All sand here and if not compacted you just sink.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

In my area, bumpy lawns are caused by night crawlers.
Now you can roll a lawn, but if you don't get rid of the night crawlers, they will just make your lawn bumpy again.
Personally, I think night crawlers are a sign of healthy soil, so I'd never get rid of them, I just embrace the bumpy lawn.

[MrWolf]

I just spread dirt to level it out. Did that last week.

[Scott.M]

Less than an acre, pfft. I have 4 acres of undulating yard that I mow. Ain't running no steam roller.

[redneck1]

Your in pa .. Wait and do it early spring when the ground is still nice and soft from winter frost heave .
It won't take a huge roller to make a difference if the goal is just to smooth up the rough edges so your not bouncing around so much .

My tractor is fairly heavy so I need to roll my yard every couple years for the exact same reason , a de-thatcher can help a lot before rolling to if you do it once in the fall and in the spring

[corbinace]

Not really a question I expect to see on CB, but i am glad you posted it.

My lawn is sooo danged rough from night crawlers, that it wears you out mowing it, and I only have two acres.

I have though of making a roller and now I am resolved to do it, after seeing some have had success doing so.

Thanks for posting the query.

[country gent]

Some at Campbells would get a scrap paste board barrel and lid find centers in both cut holes for a piece of 2" pipe. seal aground bottom and pipe. fill with concrete and add top to center the pipe. let cure and then cut barrel off. a couple wood block bearings and frame to make lawn rollers. Made about a 20" dia solid concrete roller 4' wide

[Three44s]

I just spread dirt to level it out. Did that last week.

That’s what I would try a spot or two with. Probably want to do it fairly gradually ad wait until next spring to start.

Three44s

[farmerjim]

Plow, disk, then drag harrow.

[JRLesan]

Forget the plow; wheel disc and drag harrow; BUT we're talking a lawn here, right? Lots of obstacles and you probably don't have a disc and harrow let alone a tractor. Many good and interesting suggestions and I guess it really depends on soil type. Around here with clayey type soils compaction would be a real problem with rollers...

[iomskp]

I had the same problem, and just as Mr Wolf said I filled the lawn with top soil over a year or so giving it time to settle and the filling again until it was smooth.

[Geezer in NH]

I find the chickens make the lawn bumpy and the field, the garden etc.

[country gent]

If you go the rework and sod route find the telephone and power lines before. On an acre a rototiller would do over a few days But it will take some time to really break up all the sod cums and root balls, Working around trees shrubs and decorations will be a pain also. Will be a lot of work but on the plus side you could go to one of the new slow growth grass varieties and only have to mow 1-2 times a month.

I have the wide blade swamp grass in the back yard and seeding thru and letting the new growth choke the old out dosnt happen but in reverse that stuff chokes out everything and grows way to fast.

[blackthorn]

I find the chickens make the lawn bumpy and the field, the garden etc.

That is an easy fix---just stop running over the chickens!

[Three44s]

It is amazing how fast grass grows up through thin layers of soil placed on top of it during the active growing season. Way easier than a re do of the lawn as well.

Three44s

[pls1911]

Easy and fast fix... Borrow or rent a skid steer or Dingo with a Harley rake, run over it diagonally a couple times reseed, and roll.

[CLAYPOOL]

Round up

[Wayne Smith]

If you can figure a way to get rid of the moles let me know! That's what makes our lawn bumpy.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

It's easy to get the lawn rolled, but it's very difficult to get it lit.

[brassrat]

Hey we are not talking about grass, oh never mind