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Khyron
07-02-2004, 08:50 AM
How important is roto-tilling? My lot got a new load of sifted loam a few weeks ago which is now pretty hard from all the rain and heat we've gotten. I'm laying the sod on Sat, and am going to rent a roller for it. I do not want to rent a roto unless I absolutely have to. Opinions?

Khyron
B17a
07-02-2004, 09:01 AM
Originally posted by Khyron
How important is roto-tilling? My lot got a new load of sifted loam a few weeks ago which is now pretty hard from all the rain and heat we've gotten. I'm laying the sod on Sat, and am going to rent a roller for it. I do not want to rent a roto unless I absolutely have to. Opinions?

Khyron

Can't hurt you. Make sure you wet the soil right before laying sod, it helped us a ton (aslo keeps the dust down) also we put down rooting fertilizer before laying as well.
DJ Lazy
07-02-2004, 10:57 AM
Originally posted by B17a


Can't hurt you. Make sure you wet the soil right before laying sod, it helped us a ton (aslo keeps the dust down) also we put down rooting fertilizer before laying as well.

It can't hurt.. but its not nessasary... I would recommend it if you were sodding onto concrete maybe... as for wetting the soil... personally I avoid that... it makes the job a pain in the ass, and alot more messy than need be... plus if you over wet the soil you sod job will be bumpy and uneven... some good starting fert. would be like 23-3-23... something around those numbers...

and then water it alot after... :thumbsup:
benyl
07-02-2004, 11:20 AM
I would just level it... I wouldn't rototill it

it is hard and flat now... makes for a stronger foundation. When I helped with my friends, it was better when it was hard... grass roots can crack concrete, I doubt they would have any problem with hard dirt.
sputnik
07-02-2004, 11:27 AM
I would just get a couple yards of topsoil/loam cover the entire yard with at least a half inch and fill in the lowspots. Make sure you water the lowspots to ensure that it just doesnt sink in once you put sod on top.

The problem with roto-tilling is that it makes the ground really soft and your sod will sink in where ever you walk. So unless you plan on sodding with some type of hovercraft. I would advice against tilling it.