On most new home construction sites, lawn install prep is straightforward to accomplish with minimal work or challenges. But this property offers its own set of challenges, with the lot being in a steep ravine. There are many large rocks, hilly terrain, branches, and debris to clean up while completing the job. Using the Ventrac and several attachments, we are taking on the challenge to finish grade the property and prepare it for seeding. Where a lot of standard equipment would struggle, the Ventrac is built to handle steep terrain and rough, uneven ground. Ventrac tractors excel on slopes and rough terrain with a unique FlexFrame design that articulates in the center, giving the tractor more maneuverability in tight or compact spaces than a traditional sub-compact. The patented drive controls make operation smooth, comfortable, and fun.
The FlexFrame allows the front and rear axles to oscillate independently, so all four drive tires remain in better contact with the ground, even on the roughest terrain. To start the project, we will use the Ventrac 4520 tractor and Power Bucket to move the debris and dirt piles, filling in low areas. With the Power Bucket, we can efficiently fill in low spots, reposition dirt, and level ground without leaving the operator’s seat. Then we will switch to the Power Rake to achieve the final contouring of the ground.
This robust machine is best at removing surface rocks and debris, creating a level, prepped finish for seeding. This property has been rough-graded by the construction company, and the Power Rake will allow us to continue to maintain the swales that have been put into place. Using the Power Rake after the rough grading is important to create a loose seedbed for the grass seed to grow. During this process, debris is often brought to the surface and will sometimes need to be removed via hand labor. Instead of hand labor, we will finish up the lawn with the Landscape Rake to remove fine rocks and any leftover debris that has risen to the surface during that process.
This front-mounted attachment allows you to clear areas before running over them, which can reduce compaction and create better results. The debris will then be pushed to the outer perimeter for removal. As always, the goal is to reduce the amount of hand labor to close to zero because hand labor takes time, and time is money in every contractor’s world. We are giving these homeowners the best possible results by letting the equipment to do all the work.
