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Here's a picture from the other side, gives a much better idea of the angle. And yes, the area on the left side is being washed out, so some adjustment will likely be necessary anyhow. Also not the PNW, we're in the SE. And digging a drain isn't really an option. The whole reason this got landscaped over is because it's a bunch of nasty surface roots from a nearby maple tree, so the existing grass was impossible to maintain. So digging would destroy a bunch of roots and I don't really feel like risking a 25-ish year old maple falling on the house... seems like poor planning.
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Feb 9, 2020 20:29
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Ok so I was serious about the jcb 3cx. It's either that, equivalent or a 6 to 8 tonne tracked excavator with pallet tines. In the UK looking to spend... 12k up to like 18k? Got a couple of acres, somewhat restricted access. The thoughts are that the backhoe loader allows us to do the foundations for the new house but also everything else including unloading any deliveries that turn their noses up at the site access. Then we've got a horse arena to deal with, a small pond etc. Interested to know whether people have bought their own machinery for these kind of jobs with the intention of turning them over a year or two later? Anyway...
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Feb 11, 2020 23:16
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NotJustANumber99 posted:Ok so I was serious about the jcb 3cx. It's either that, equivalent or a 6 to 8 tonne tracked excavator with pallet tines. In the UK looking to spend... 12k up to like 18k? I absolutely hate backhoes for digging when a mini-ex is even possibly an option. How much do you really need the hoe? Sounds like you need a tractor with a loader that has skid steer quick attach so you can swap between a bucket and pallet forks and to rent a mini-ex for your very occasional project that actually need the hoe. That leaves you with a 3 point hitch on the back of the tractor for more frequently useful things like a box blade.
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Feb 12, 2020 03:09
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Solkanar512 posted:Are you looking for ideas on what to do, or are you more concerned about finding folks to do the work? If it’s the former, Better Homes and Gardens has tons of sample landscaping plans for various sizes and types of yards, and I think This Old House has some stuff as well. Both, but the real worry is I have an old concrete driveway hidden under the yard that's been there for decades, about 4-5 inches down. I'm afraid of how much doing anything is going to cost.
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Feb 12, 2020 23:32
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Did some satisfying landscaping at the new place over the weekend. It involved a chain:  And now I'm rid of that ridiculous abortion of a weeping thing grafted onto who knows what kind of dwarf rootstock. Typical lovely landscaping aesthetic from the early 2000s. Oh yeah, I replaced it with a bunch of elephant hosta all over that bed, and left space for something evergreen to make it a 3/4 season look. Haven't figure that part out, but I wanted that ugly rear end thing gone.
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Apr 27, 2020 03:19
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Did you swap your mahindra for a Kubota at some point?
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Apr 27, 2020 17:25
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Motronic posted:Did some satisfying landscaping at the new place over the weekend. It involved a chain: The picture is fuzzy but that looks like a poorly growing Japanese maple, likely a Crimson Queen. The trees are generally small to begin with, so that root stock is for propagation rather than for dwarfing. By the way, the tree is likely valued in the low thousands due to their slow growth. Solkanar512 fucked around with this message at 17:49 on Apr 27, 2020 |
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Apr 27, 2020 17:41
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rdb posted:Did you swap your mahindra for a Kubota at some point? I still have the Mahindra, but I'm gonna sell it. It was just too small - I'd never run a SCUT before and thought "hey, that looks like the right size." Turn out they're not the right size for anyting. They don't weigh enough to be anything other than a deathtrap when you're using the loader, and it doesn't have enough power to spin a PTO and climb a gentle slope at the same time. So I went back to the "small tractor" I'm used to: a CUT. And kinda went overboard with a cab model so I can be comfortable when plowing. Solkanar512 posted:By the way, the tree is likely valued in the low thousands due to their slow growth. Not anymore. And yes, it was some variety of japanese maple.
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Apr 27, 2020 18:20
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Hope this is a good place to ask this. Two weeks ago we had a landscape company come in an completely cover over our half acre yard to flatten out major low areas. They were contracted to do that and then reseed the entire thing. So its been pretty cold, but I dont see any inkling of new grass, and every day the new soil seems to be more and more pebbles and less and less dirt. I know there are different grades of topsoil, so I dont want to make a stink if im just over reacting, but really how many little pebbles should be in top layer soil?
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Apr 29, 2020 03:32
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Motronic posted:I still have the Mahindra, but I'm gonna sell it. It was just too small - I'd never run a SCUT before and thought "hey, that looks like the right size." Turn out they're not the right size for anyting. They don't weigh enough to be anything other than a deathtrap when you're using the loader, and it doesn't have enough power to spin a PTO and climb a gentle slope at the same time. I feel you on the too small bit. My mahindra 3616 has done what I needed it to do, but its marginal for lifting round bales and it terrifies me to do it. Beyond that, its too small to pull a batwing and has no cab so my toddler can’t ride. I intend to replace it, something around 100hp, haven’t decided on the color. CNH has some great financing right now and I can drive it home the dealer is so close, but I can’t get over the Italian machinery thing. Kubota doesn’t appear to have a stellar reputation in that size tractor, and deere is not offering any deals. Massey is made in china now, and I won’t buy mahindra again for a multitude of reasons. That’s pretty much every dealer in the area.
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Apr 29, 2020 23:37
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Oh you're WAY beyond what I'm needing at 100 HP. I replaced the Mahindra 10 HP sub compact with a 26 HP compact. A compact of that size is the smallest thing I've ever run prior to getting that bad idea of a subcompact, so I get where you're coming from. I don't necessarily have a Mahindra problem, but they are pretty basic. I don't know about the 3616 in general but some of the other problems I didn't list were weird 3 point geometry that required me to modify things that shouldn't need modification (lift arms were WAY too drat short in a way that no production cat 1 top link could fix.....nothing was short enough) and just generally cheap build quality. Also my local dealer were freaking morons, which doesn't help at all. Some quality issues were like, it has fuel tanks under each fender. But the one on the left (fill on the right) never filled because it was airlocked. There was no way to fill it....at all. The crossover hose runs between the BOTTOMS of the tanks under the seat. The fuel gauge is in the one you can't fill. So it's always at like 1/8 tank until your drat near out of fuel. The dealer tried to fix this twice and I finally got a "that's a design problem". Okay? That's not an answer nor is it a solution. So yeah. I'm not a big fan.
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Apr 30, 2020 00:35
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Yeah, I had dealer issues like that as well. It came with a defective exide battery that leaked out of the positive terminal. Mahindra said they would fix it, dealer had me pay for the battery and then slapped on a bolt on terminal and said thats all they would do. Well, it ate up the entire front harness, so it takes 20 turns of the key to start unless I pop the hood and reseat a connection on the positive terminal. I had intended to just replace the harness myself until the dealer went out of business. They sell massey now. If I need mahindra parts, like when I broke their lovely proprietary 3 point stabilizer arm, its an hour drive, prepay to order, hour to pick up once it comes in. Mahindra parts dealers have territories they are allowed to serve apparently, so online isn’t possible beyond filters really. We are probably going to wind up with 100 or so acres by the end of the year. 50 or so open. My 6’ bushog wont cut it.
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Apr 30, 2020 00:56
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rdb posted:Yeah, I had dealer issues like that as well. It came with a defective exide battery that leaked out of the positive terminal. Mahindra said they would fix it, dealer had me pay for the battery and then slapped on a bolt on terminal and said thats all they would do. Well, it ate up the entire front harness, so it takes 20 turns of the key to start unless I pop the hood and reseat a connection on the positive terminal. I had intended to just replace the harness myself until the dealer went out of business. They sell massey now. If I need mahindra parts, like when I broke their lovely proprietary 3 point stabilizer arm, its an hour drive, prepay to order, hour to pick up once it comes in. Mahindra parts dealers have territories they are allowed to serve apparently, so online isn’t possible beyond filters really. Yikes, you need more than a 6' for sure. Disappointing to hear a similar Mahindra story. It seems like they got 85% of the way there and then gave up. They only way they seem to be competing is by advertising rock bottom prices. Prices which I've found you can get from Kubota on equivalent (but better made) equipment easily if your dealership isn't crap. FYI, the parts guys at the Mahindra dealership HATE dealing with them. Not only do they take forever to ship and their ordering systems is garbage, but when they order something "express", meaning you pay an extra $40 to get them to pick and pack it within 24 hours, for some reason they can't give the parts guys a shipping price until it's been packed. They literally don't have part weights in their inventory system so they're doing it one off. And I think I mentioned the fluid capacity table in the manual for mine that miscalculated the conversion into ounces/quarts/gallons. Nice job. Motronic fucked around with this message at 15:15 on Apr 30, 2020 |
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Apr 30, 2020 15:12
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 This is the edge of our property, which had a bunch of ugly bushes. With no gym access lately, I've been getting my exercise ripping them out. I've just about finished (one remains, out of frame). My tentative plan is to plant some Thuja Green Giant privacy trees. Ideally I'd keep them somewhere between 6 and 10 feet. They'll serve three purposes: noise reduction from the street, protecting the house from a cold northern wind, and aesthetics. Here's what I'm considering: https://www.homedepot.com/p/9-25-in-Pot-Emerald-Green-Arborvitae-Thuja-Live-Evergreen-Shrub-Tree-Green-Foliage-55203FL/205544441 or https://www.brighterblooms.com/products/thuja-green-giant basically. I'm in Buffalo, which seems to be an adequate growing zone. There's a lot of deer here, and apparently they're quite deer resistant to boot. Here's what I'm unsure of: 1. Is this the best tree for the job? 2. The bushes I dug out were an assorted lot. I got the majority of each, but I certainly didn't dig out every root, some of which seem to run several feet deep. Can I plant those trees in this same area without concern how any leftover roots may impact the new trees? 3. The planting instructions seem fairly simple. Dig a wide hole, drop the tree in the hole, fill with soil, top with mulch, and water on a schedule. There's no mention of any sort of framing or support structure being needed. They're supposed to be planted 5' on center, which is quite similar to the existing holes from the bushes, so I was going to make good use of the holes I've already dug (the mini ponds pictured above). Is that really all there is to it?
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Apr 30, 2020 20:56
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Arborvitae are not really deer resistant. They are more like "one of the last things they will eat each season, when things get really tough." I know exactly how high my deer can reach based on the ring around the row of them in the front yard. If you want to keep them full you'll likely need to wrap them in burlap from like late december until spring.
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Apr 30, 2020 21:23
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Any recommendations for landscaping design software? I'm thinking similar to the home design packages with objects to drop in place, and materials? Ideally it has good results, but not impossible to use without being a professional. I still have trouble getting Sketchup not to make my polygons into non-euclidian Lovecraftian time mazes.
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May 12, 2020 17:41
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mr.belowaverage posted:Any recommendations for landscaping design software? I'm thinking similar to the home design packages with objects to drop in place, and materials? Oh man I’m excited to hear suggestions, I’ve always tried sketching it out on a whiteboard but I can’t get the dimensions to look right and it’s obviously very limited in terms of visualizing things.
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May 12, 2020 18:43
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Take a picture of the area and hand it off to a friend with art skills. That's how we came up with what we're doing to our front yard/edge of the curb.
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May 12, 2020 18:48
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Rhyno posted:Take a picture of the area and hand it off to a friend with art skills. That's how we came up with what we're doing to our front yard/edge of the curb. My friends are more likely to code the program than draw pictures!
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May 12, 2020 19:14
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I can't help you with that!
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May 12, 2020 19:18
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is this the lawn thread. please help me my lawn is dying. i'm in chicago so probably too late to even plant more grass but I did that last year and it didn't do poo poo 3 trees (big, medium, small), the side yard that has full sunlight to the east and south is constantly overgrown, the front yard (faces due south, plenty of light too ) is just completely freaking dead and the medium tree in it has roots that are pulling out of the ground more every year where the heck do I read up on what to do I'm so clueless and I fear the answer is 'buy 40x50lb bags of dirt and dump them on the roots
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May 13, 2020 22:26
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mastershakeman posted:is this the lawn thread. please help me my lawn is dying. i'm in chicago so probably too late to even plant more grass but I did that last year and it didn't do poo poo One person’s dead lawn is another person’s new flowerbed. But if you go that route you’re likely going to need those bags of dirt.
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May 13, 2020 22:36
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Post pictures of your bad lawn so we can get a better idea of how bad it is OP Edit: So we can help you fix it Bi-la kaifa fucked around with this message at 01:00 on May 14, 2020 |
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May 13, 2020 23:57
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mastershakeman posted:I did that last year and it didn't do poo poo When you say this, can you describe all the steps you took to prep and what exactly you threw down when?
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May 14, 2020 01:05
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mastershakeman posted:is this the lawn thread. please help me my lawn is dying. i'm in chicago so probably too late to even plant more grass but I did that last year and it didn't do poo poo
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May 14, 2020 02:27
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hello, thread. i am knee-deep in a yard problem and i need your help. basically, i moved to a new place last summer. i planned on starting with the inside of my place, spending two-three months there, then working on the yard during the fall to provide for a lovely spring. well, a bunch of debilitating personal issues happened in september and october, so that got nixed. and then this whole drat pandemic hit, which has delayed the postponed early spring work i wanted to do. in any case, better nate than lever. i need to know what to do with this and am willing to address it now while i have all this time and the weather isn't obscenely humid. first, the victim (lots of pics ahead): 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  hopefully you've made it down here with some interest. if not, understandable and sorry for the eyesores. in any case, i just want to make this yard decent, really. i'd like to have some fun flowers along the walls, i think. at least one of the walls. the back where the grill is needs some work, sure, but i don't really know what i can do but clear it out and probably plant more flowers and plants back there. the biggest issue is the actual yard, though--where all the grass is. there are tons of different types of grasses and weeds and other things going on. tried to capture most of what's there. i was actually able to mow the grass about an hour ago wherever there isn't tall grass. that was at least doable, but really i'd just like to have a yard with uniform grass that isn't too terrible to maintain. i don't mind cutting it once per week or so, and i don't need it to be a baseball park. just something perfectly normal and manageable, unlike this fiasco. so yea, given all of this, my logic says i should approach it by just starting anew and clearing out everything. so before i begin on any procedural questions, is that what should i do, or is there something to work with here? ideally, i don't want to spend more than like 5k here. really, i don't want to spend more than 500 or so, but i am completely new to this and have no idea how much any of this stuff costs. as for labor, i'd be willing to do everything within my power. i have some tools, and there's a lowe's 10min away. thanks for any input! hope to be active in this thread over the next however long it takes to get this right.
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May 14, 2020 23:11
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You need to start with a string trimmer and knock all that crap down. Or hand pull weeds, whatever, but it's not even really possible to tell what you have to work with because it's so overgrown. Good news, what you want to do is likely to be totally achievable, but it would be nice to see if like, the paths (I think there were some walkways there) are serviceable or if you need to break up concrete or whatever. And if the yard is somewhat flat or full of holes and rocks. Once you can see what you have to work with you can make a plan and figure out what it's gonna cost and what order to do things in.
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May 14, 2020 23:51
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so a string trimmer could clear out everything still standing? hand pulling weeds doesn't exactly sound like a great time, though i'm guessing i'll have to do it some point anyways.
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May 15, 2020 00:03
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Tbh I'd herbicide all of that and reseed. If he wants a uniform, single type of grass that's probably the easiest route.
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May 15, 2020 00:05
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It's not that bad at all. I'd whack it all down to the ground a figure out what exactly I'm working with underneath, and then nuke what you want to be uniform lawn. Topdress and reseed it after. You could have some nice raised beds in there too or deck it out with a bunch of pots and a water feature. It's a nice space.
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May 15, 2020 01:07
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abelwingnut posted:so a string trimmer could clear out everything still standing? Looks like it. Then depending on what you find you may needs on of various types of remediation, including potentially chemical. But I don't go that way first. And there are always more labor intensive alternatives - for a places as small as that black plastic"solarization" could work a treat. All depends on what you have at hand, what you can easily get, what costs what........
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May 15, 2020 01:14
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alrighty. i practically have nothing tool-wise. this is in brooklyn, and it's the first spot i've had where i would ever remotely need anything outdoorsy. but i want to do this properly. i'll have to research trimmers a bit--again no idea. the herbicide idea...i don't know. i don't think i can actually do that here? i also just don't want to pollute or risk pollution. i have no idea what piping or plumbing is in the backyard. so yea, i'll probably be back here in a few days with more questions. thanks.
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May 15, 2020 02:02
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So if you have nothing tool wise, what are your plans when this is done? Will you be mowing and trimming it yourself? If so, that looks like the perfect size for some of the newer battery system stuff. A little battery mower and trimmer that share the same battery system would be about perfect.
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May 15, 2020 02:11
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i have a scotts reel lawnmower, some hedgeclippers, and various other things left by the old tenant, like a trowel, a rake, some other stuff that probably needs to be replaced. and yes, i'd be maintaining it by myself for the foreseeable future. again, i'm willing to invest in it. practically, i'd get it to a point where the reel lawnmower would be enough for the grass portion. but ideally, i want to do more with it. i know i need to get a bunch of new stuff for gardening, but i haven't even started planning that yet. seems like a whole different discussion. but if they really aren't, and what i can get now to finish stage 1 of fixing it can apply to stage 2, absolutely. e: i think what scares me most is how many different types of weeds/non-desirable things are just growing in the main yard part. no idea how they got there, what they are, or anything. i imagine they need to be uprooted ultimately. i guess that's a one-and-done procedure. but then after that, trying to figure out how to make it all uniform. abelwingnut fucked around with this message at 02:41 on May 15, 2020 |
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May 15, 2020 02:36
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Oh if you have a reel mower don't bother with something new. That should be just fine if it's in good shape (once your lawn is a lawn again). Don't worry about what's growing where now. You just need to get it all out/dead to see what you're working with. If it's reasonably flat and decent all you will need is a rake, grass seed and patience - then the reel mower. You can deal with the rest/add beds/whatever later. This doesn't have to be done all at once and it shouldn't take a lot of stuff.
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May 15, 2020 02:46
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Motronic posted:Oh if you have a reel mower don't bother with something new. That should be just fine if it's in good shape (once your lawn is a lawn again). This is really good advice, but especially the part about “this doesn’t have to be done all at once”. And Even if you have a mower lined up, I’ve had great luck with electric mowers/trimmers and whatnot and they’re great. There’s less maintenance, there less noise and they even make power inverters so you can use those batteries for other outdoor stuff. I’m on my second year of tearing up my lawn for flower beds and whatnot and it’s overwhelming if you try to do everything at once.
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May 15, 2020 17:00
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If you do decide to get a battery powered yard tool, consider whether it makes sense to get one in a battery ecosystem for other power tools if you intend to do home repairs. As a side note, the knock-off 7ah 20/60v battery I got for my new DeWalt chainsaw handles my whole yard (45 min) of trimming and edging in my string trimmer with plenty to spare.
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May 15, 2020 17:25
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just found this bad boy: https://www.lowes.com/pd/BLACK-DECKER-20-volt-Max-Lithium-Ion-12-in-Deck-Width-Cordless-Electric-Lawn-Mower-Batteries-Included/50257021 seems like it should be perfect for my situation. anything alarming about it? the mower portion might be better than the reel mower, which is a bit of a pain in the rear end, and comes with the trimmer which is what i'm after in the first place, all for a decent price.
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May 15, 2020 18:14
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abelwingnut posted:just found this bad boy: https://www.lowes.com/pd/BLACK-DECKER-20-volt-Max-Lithium-Ion-12-in-Deck-Width-Cordless-Electric-Lawn-Mower-Batteries-Included/50257021 Doesn't look comfortable to push around
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May 16, 2020 00:18
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For what you're looking for why not look at Ryobi? They've got a small mower and string trimmer that run off their normal 18v tool batteries, which you may be interested in anyhow for other home projects.
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May 16, 2020 20:03
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