We just had an area in our side-lawn cemented where we keep the dog kennel and we had a cement walkway put into the patio. We have had plenty of rain lately and the bobcat must of made over 50 trips back and forth . First digging the area out and hauling the dirt away, then bringing in the stone and then he hauled the cement in the box of the bobcat because we didn't have enough room to get the cement truck closer..... So now what do we do about the big ruts the bobcat left in the lawn? Some of the ruts are 6-8 inches deep if not more? Someone told us we have to work it all up before we add dirt on top of it and the seed. How in the world do you loosen it when the machine drove on it so much? I just can't picture a rototiller doing it, with it that deep. We only plan on planting in the ruts and not work up the rest of the lawn. Do we have to work it up or would just poking holes in it like with a pitch fork aerate it enough and then just add soil on top and plant? . All opinions are welcome..thank you.
I found this topic Sherry where EJ gives some good advice on this subject: http://www.gardenstew.com/about782.html
My uncle had to do the same thing. He worked the ruts and a little of the sides and the lawn area went back to the right level. Those heavy vehicles can really compact and move a lot of soil, more than one would expect.
We will have to wait and try it once our rain has ended and we can get a dry load of soil here. We have had so much rain and I think that is one of the reasons he sunk so much and made such deep ruts. But he did make a lot of trips. Most places do not wheel cement anymore and they used the bobcat to haul that after they prepped the area. Thank you.
I would try to get some loosened up while it is still wet if it isn't too bad. Once it starts to dry it could be really solid and hard to work. This swill also allow you to work the sides of the ruts if there is any mounding from the bobcat. Either that or you could just make the ruts in planting rows and put in a bunch of potatoes.
I will have to wait until the puddles go down in the ruts first..underneath the black dirt is clay where we live.
Best of luck with it and don't throw out your back. I remember filling and fixing ruts from military vehicles in Germany when I was there. Is not fun at all and these tracks were 2 feet wide and often 2 feet deep. lol. Instant fox hole but filling them was a pain in the backside.
My husband finally got it finished...we had to wait for the rain to stop around here to buy some garden soil to fill in the ruts. We took out all of the old compacted soil and planted it Saturday and in 4 days the grass seed is sprouting. I have never had grass come up this fast in all that we have ever planted...I guess the rain has helped and the hot sun.
It will be nice to not see the ruts anymore and a lot easier to mow when it is longer. We are so happy with the walkway and the kennel area being cement, it was worth all of the work...
