Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 23385 Location: Planet, not on the....
Posted: Mon Aug 07, 06 5:44 pm Post subject:
What does a turf cutter do - apart from cutting turf obviously How does it work? Sounds like the sort of thing I'll need as OH is out till very late every night with harvest, so the chances of him using his muscles this side of October are pretty slim. So it's either me or slave labour (child variety).
Is a turf cutter something that a petite, but fairly strong girly or an 11 year old boy, who's 5ft 4" could use??
I just picked up 4 bags for free, and he says I can have as much of the slighty older stuff, that the paying customers won't buy, for free too (it's just gone a little green round the edges, but it'll be perfickly good for me) There's five tons of it there He kept warning me that I may get mushrooms popping up - warning me! I can't wait!!!
He's checked the ph and it's neutral, and apparently fairly high in nitrogen too - is that good?
The one you hire will be nothing like that you'll have to jump up and down on it to get the blade in to the turf and maybe even stand on the bugger while you're pushing it to make it cut anything but the top 1/4 inch. Also the hire shop will probably have it set at the highest setting so you'll need to adjust it (just a bolt).
Not easy but a LOT easier than doing it manually (trust me, I know).
There's a 4 wheel drive Husqvarna on there which should be a doddle, if you can find anywhere that hires it, its worth ringing everywhere possible including the manufacture to find one. They're normally undriven.
What's the depth of soil like? If it's like my parents place then I'd just dump a thick layer over the top. The grass will stop it all leeching away, then I'd chuck a green manure on the top. In the spring the worms would have made it perfect.
Thats a lot easier than lifting the turf, as long as it rots down in that time.
Penny Outskirts
Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 23385 Location: Planet, not on the....
Posted: Mon Aug 07, 06 6:26 pm Post subject:
I'm all for easy The soil is pretty deep, and has been cultivated in the past - so I think I may just go for it. Although those turf cutters do look like fun......we have an excellent tool hire place in Cirencester, which is quite well geared to agricultural stuff, in fact I may be able to hire it on the farmer's account, which may make it a bit cheaper.
Will it be OK to prepare the beds now do you think, and then erect the polytunnels in early spring?
You're better waiting till later if you're removing the turf as this'll mean that less weed seed settles on the compost, November would be a good time to do it. If you're leaving the turf I'd imagine the sooner the better to get it rotting
Penny Outskirts
Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 23385 Location: Planet, not on the....
Posted: Mon Aug 07, 06 6:32 pm Post subject:
Thanks for you help Tahir and mrutty, that's very useful information. I guess my decision will rest on the availability and cost of turf cutters
You're better waiting till later if you're removing the turf as this'll mean that less weed seed settles on the compost, November would be a good time to do it. If you're leaving the turf I'd imagine the sooner the better to get it rotting
Agreed.
Mind you if you shouldn't get any new deep root weeds as the grass layer should stop them a bit
wellington womble
Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 15051 Location: East Midlands
Posted: Mon Aug 07, 06 7:16 pm Post subject:
Still might be worth covering it in plastic or carpet or something - I find my lovely fluffy dug beds compact mysteriously over the winter (I think its the rain) They stay fairly fluffy if I cover them (or maybe it just keeps the dogs off.
I never thought of the bonus harvest with musroom compost - I'm definitely getting some, ASAP.
How does it work? Sounds like the sort of thing I'll need as OH is out till very late every night with harvest, so the chances of him using his muscles this side of October are pretty slim. So it's either me or slave labour (child variety).
(it's just gone a little green round the edges, but it'll be perfickly good for me) There's five tons of it there 
He kept warning me that I may get mushrooms popping up - warning me! I can't wait!!!
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