On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:59:27 +1100, terryc wrote:

On Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:38:37 +0000, Jeßus wrote:


Anyway, I'd be interested to hear of any ideas of how to do this
without spending hundreds (or more) on equipment.

Any good ideas on building something to do the job perhaps? I have a
ride- on and ATV to tow any such gadget around if need be.

Buy or make something to tow behind your ride on tractor.

The latter is what I had in mind.

All the buying I have done this year has got to stop, need to DIY where
possible... it's been a very expensive year for me.

It really is a case of a drum filled with concrete with spikes, or a
length of pipe.

If you could lay your hands on some steel pipe, you could weld some
heavy nails to it.

Simplest axle is large pipe through middle of concrete with thinner pipe
inside and you weld the two arms ofthe tow hitch to the thinner pipe.

Alternatively, look for a old vehicle-towed trailer and scavenge the
axle and hubs from that, although about $AUS60 would buy you a pair of
replacement trailer hubs from the cheap auto places.

I would hesitate to suggest a 44gal drum as that is a lot of concrete.
might be better with something like a 20Litre or slightly bigger drum
and just tow it every time you mow.

Thanks Terry, there are some good ideas there.

I did think of something drum-like in shape with spikes, but as you
mentioned, a 44gal drum will end up weighing too much - unless I use
something lighter than concrete. But plenty food for thought there, for
sure. I'll keep an eye out for something like a 44gal drum, only smaller
diameter.

I hope you are not removing the cut grass, but leaving it as a mulch.

Oh yes indeed I am.

That said, I bought this property in July this year, I strongly suspect
the previous owners were removing the cuttings. Bugger-all organic matter
visible.

you could also add other material as mulch thinly spread. This is how I
recover bare patches under my trees and feed my lawn. I get large
trailer loads of show rabbit bedding delivered from a breeder, which I
thinly spread over the lawn each load, amongst other places.

I'd suggest bales of rice husks, but given the major slump in our rice
harvest, they are probably hard to find and rather expensive. (Nearly a
decade since SWMBO was raising cute bunnies).

I have a small spreader due to arrive any time now, the type that can be
towed behind a ride-on or ATV. With this I planned to sow the seed, some
fertiliser.

I also discovered a lifetime's supply of sawdust, from a sawmill that
shut down 40 years ago.

I've been grabbing truck loads of it for use as mulch primarily around
the fencline, where there are trees and shrubs. It is well and truly
broken down and not acidic. I was thinking of adding this to the spreader
every time I mow the grass, just to help build up some organic matter.

Aside from the 'lawn' areas, the soil here is very good indeed.

sigh, off to delivery four kittens to the pound, then buy lots of
chocolate for SWMBO to console her)

Oh bugger... good luck with that.