http://meuho.notlong.com/ 26 October 2007 Sod Busting Ths sod was removed from around the Rose of Sharon bushes. The purpose is to improve the growing envirnment for the Rose of Sharon roots by removing the grass competition. First the sod was cut using the kick type sod cutter. The sod was hand pulled apart and put through the chipper\shredder, and blown back onto the area from which it was removed. From past experience it was found that the grass roots are effectively destroyed, and no grass grows from the residue. The area was edged, lightly rototilled, raked smooth and covered with wood chip mulch.
Wow, and to think that in the past week I've been eliminating quack grass long runners and putting them in my burn pile. But I don't have a chipper, yet.... Plus where I'm working in my perennial garden I have to use a digging fork aroudn sensitve plants and get the grass and other plants I don't want from around their roots and I've been amending the soil with more perlite, bark chips, pine needles, sand, and some honey locust leaves that I gather from my koi pond. This way if the bad grass starts to creep in there again, it will be easier to get pull it out. I hope to keep that from happening. But my garden site is 40 X 40ft and is open to what th e wind brings in and on one side it butts up against the front lawn which is a mixture of different kinds of grasses. Not my preference, came that way with the house. So I need to put in a mow strip and some type of divider between the garden and grass. It is a task that I'm going to have to hire out for some help.
Hey, Durgan, I just saw all your photos. Can you come to my house?! Thank you, that was a super job and I learned a lot front the photos. Where dit you get that kick cutter? I think I need your shredder as well. Oh, that would make such quick work of all that needs to be done on my acre of grass and weeds. LOL Do you think I would be safe with the lawn next to my garden and digging the grass or cutting the grass with the sod cutter or whatever the object was that you edged the Rose of Sharon bed, before you put in the mulch. Maybe this would be an easier and cheaper answer to putting in a concrete mow strip at this time. How old are your Rose of Sharons?
The edger was just a common blade tool to make a sharp delinetion between the grass and bed. During the summer I sometimes run a mechanical edger along the beds. This is an attachment on the Honda FG110 small tiller. The kick sod cuttter was purchased from Northern Tool (USA), but sales were poor so they discontinued the line. There are others on the internet with wooden handles, which is overkill anad over-priced, but one has to take what is available. Some rental places also have the kick type sod cutter. I bought one after paying $80.00 to rent twice, and to have it available when needed. Here is one URL for Kick Type Sod Cutter: http://www.quail-mfg.com/sodcutter.htm
Thank you for the link. I will have to get one of those. The main tools we have are attachments to a Kubota tractor. I just barely learned how to drive with a little trailer behind. Haven't used it enough to even remember how to start. And I don't know how to put the attachments or use them. My husband always buys these things and I have to wait for my 16 year old to do anything with it. My other son needs to attach a bucket to by way of welding ideas as the one my husband bought doesn't quite fit the Kubota tracter we have. We have a lawn cutter or weeds. A leveler. A scoop. and thenmy husband got a tiller for it. I asked him why did he get that? Since we already have a rototiller and none of my places to grow things needs the overkill of a tractor. I guess he hopes to provide ways for my 16 year old son to make some money, since we live in rural acreage. Mainly 1 acre properties. Some have their acre landscaped and others just let them be, growing all kinds of weeds. My husband likes to get deals on Ebay! I guess it is his addiction while mine is gardening, buying plants, watergarden plants and baby koi. Oh, can't forget the clematis. Now I'm getting into Japanese Maples and conifers, as well as some other ornamental trees.
