[joeydominick]

I just had about 17 trees removed. Where a few of them were and had fallen there are big.divits and some erosion. We live on a hill and just bought.a new tractor. What's the b est way to fill the holes/divits? Someone at work said use #20gravel as a base and then put top soil down, is that a good idea? The area that I'm trying to level and fix is about 30 feet long,10 feet wide and dips down about 11inches in places, please help!

 

[mark777]

What kind of tractor and equipment do you have?

Is it possible to back blade or box blade the area level without fill? With the trees removed and the area lower than the rest of your property then fill will be needed...but I'm not too sure about using gravel for the base unless you will be replanting trees and/or shrubs that need drainage.

Do you have pictures of the area? That might help and several could make better suggestions .

Mark

 

[joeydominick]

I ll try to get some pics today when I get home. No trees will be going in where the ground has erodded that I know of. As far as tractor, I have a JD x540 on the way that comes in monday. Im pretty new to this and have no idea what those blades are your talking about. As far as fill, what do you usually use? The main problem is in the front yard, the slope is steep enough that I cant or wouldnt mow side to side in fear of tipping over. Like I said Ill try for the pics when I get home. TY, Joey

 

[LLigetfa]

How deep has it eroded? Straw is a good way to stop erosion. It will eventually decompose after the soil has been stabilized by new turf. When I worked on pipeline construction, we stabilized some very large steep areas.

 

[joeydominick]

i would say that some areas range from 4 inches all the way down to about a foot in spots.

 

[LLigetfa]

A small amount of straw can be tilled in and a small amount laid on top. A heavier layer of straw should be place up hill of the erosion to slow the rush of water. You may have to stake it to keep it from washing away.

 

[Upper5Percent]

Well if it is bad enough you may want to install a wall complete with deadmen...

 

[PristineGardens]

I think whatever you use you'll experience some subsidence after time. If it were me, i'd hire a whacker plate and compact down the majority of gravvel/soil/whatever you use before putting a couple of inches of fresh topsoil on. This should prevent a fair bit of subsiding.

i've used hard core before when filling ponds in (with a good layer of topsoil on top), seems do work quite well. but as i say, a whacker plate is a good idea when filling in the deeper areas.

Dave

 

[Kbeitz]

I use a plastic chicken wire netting that has straw interweaved in the plastic... Plant your grass and put the straw netting on top and a bale of straw across the top to stop the flow of water... the grass will grow up through the netting...

 

[fwinters]

I would recommend that you contact your Natural Resources Conservation District (NRCS) office in Pennsylvania and ask them to take a look at it and make a recommendation. They are experts at controlling and preventing erosion and their services are paid for by your tax dollars. If the slope is too steep to mow side to side, then you may want to consider terraces. Also do not put your new tractor on that slope either!

 

[LilysDad]

Just curious. Why did you remove those trees?

 

[joeydominick]

The cameras not working right now. As far as the trees, we live out I the country and on 2 acres. About .50 covered with trees. I was just sick of the clean up in the fall and all the branches in the yard after storms. I'm gonna get about 20 more cut down in the back yard. Plus with the new mower I can just go up and down instead of turning all the time to miss trees.

 

[Bolens 1000]

Sounds like the chain saw is getting a workout!
-Brian

 

[joeydominick]

NOOOOOOOO! Im not that crazy, most of the trees were over 75ft tall. I had a guy come in and do them for me. For 1 trees with all cleanup except anything dealing with the stumps is came to 2300. Got another guy to do the stump grinding about 6 inches below surface on all 17 trees for 1400. I think he charged 1.50 an inch across the stumps

 

[Sailingamerican]

You got it done cheap.
That is a lot of work for 4 gand.

I am with you on the clean up end. I love living in the country but the work is not always worth it. I live in the country and city. I just took out all the trees in the back of my city lot. Several died and the roots were into everything. I want a smoot lawn and no clean up. I put in a spa and a fantastic flower garden with a few queen palms. Life is now simple. I miss the fruit trees but it does not get cold enough to always get good fruit.

If you can drive up and down the slope with your tractor just pack it with dirt and the grass should hold it once it is up. If you have not had problems on the slope with the grass you should be just fine.