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using an electric tiller for lawn repair

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I just spend the better part of a day using a manual cultivator to loosen compacted soil in bare spots on my lawn before overseeding each spot and covering with a loose layer of lawn soil.

I am considering alternative options for the future to avoid this back-breaking job. I already own a Greenworks Dethatcher (love it) but was wondering if the Greenwords Tiller or even the highly-rated Earthwise tiller would make life easier for me. All I need it for is to loosen up the soil (small patches normally about the size of a basketball) that I regularly get every year in my lawn. I don't need a complete ground breaking, just enough so that the new seeds can establish their roots.

My thinking is that I just give the area a quick once-over without damaging too much of the surrounding healthy grass, then seed, and cover with a light coating of lawn soil. The dethatcher wouldn't loosen up the soil deep enough like a tiller would so that idea won't work.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Comments (6)

User
9 years ago
Loosening of soil actually isn't required, as roots can exert enough force to go through rock (although baby roots are much more delicate, soils are not an issue).

However, there's an easier way to soften the entire yard at once. Spray with 3 oz per thousand square feet of any clear shampoo in a hose end sprayer. Repeat monthly until the soil attains the softness you want. It won't hurt existing grass or gardens (I use it on both), and will render soils soft enough that seeding certainly isn't an issue.
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njitgrad
Original Author
9 years ago
Really? Most lawn repair instructions indicate that you should loosen the soil before seeding. I did not expect lawn roots would be able to penetrate the compacted soil even if covered by a layer of new lawn soil. So I loosen the compacted soil as much as my arm were capable of, spread the seed, and covered lightly with Scotts lawn soil.
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User
9 years ago
Really. On my renovation, I never loosened soil. Actually, I didn't even remove the old grass, I just sheared off the old stuff as short as I could cut it and seeded right into the old root mass and stubble.

Disturbed soil will hold more water, but that's not an advantage after the germination period. You've destroyed the natural water draining channels in the soil, which will take quite some time to restore themselves. You can get the same water retention without the problems by topdressing with 1/4" of compost, peat moss, or the like.
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njitgrad
Original Author
9 years ago
Good to know. Thanks for the info. Wish I would have spent the time to post the question BEFORE I killed my arms, LOL.
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beckyinrichmond
9 years ago
When you plant seed you need to keep it moist. That means watering lightly (just a few minutes) 3-4 times a day. This watering softens the soil. The shampoo treatment Morpheus talks about will also help make the soil softer. After the seed germinates you gradually reduce the frequency but increase the amount of water until you eventually get to one inch of water only once a week (measure by putting tuna or cat food cans in the yard while watering).
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dchall_san_antonio
9 years ago
"Wish I would have spent the time to post the question BEFORE I killed my arms, LOL"

You and thousands of others, bro. There's a huge difference between loosening the surface and rototilling
6-8 inches deep, If you look at the advice you can find for
rototilling, by and large those companies have an interest in selling
you products to fix the results from the rototilling. Rototilling is a
guaranteed 3 year declining disaster. I wish you had asked the question before buying the dethatcher, too. If you are watering, mowing, and fertilizing right, you should never need a dethatcher. And I wish you had asked the question before adding top soil. Top soil and sand always change your drainage. That's fine if you're filling a low spot, but if you're making a high spot higher, then that spot will be drier, too. And worst case it will divert water into your basement.

What kind of grass do you have?

Where do you live?

What is your watering regimen? How often and for how long?

Oh and the shampoo works. Everyone who's tried it says so, me included.
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