Leveling Bermuda after utility line caused ditch

Bermuda, St. Augustine, Zoysia, Centipede, Bahia, Paspalum, etc
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CoachBatch
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Joined: May 13th, 2018, 7:24 pm
Location: Apex, NC
Grass Type: Bermuda Hybrid
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Leveling Bermuda after utility line caused ditch

Post by CoachBatch » May 11th, 2019, 7:34 pm

I have a 50 ft ditch that is left from where the fiber guys dug when they burried the new line. It started at around 5inches below grade and it's about 3 inches below grade now. I've been adding top soil and sand slowly over the last 2 years. My patience is running thin....the challenge is that it's in a slopped area and runoff is building up on the lower side of the ditch.

Suggestions? I can't really get a picture. It's about a 8:1 slope with the ditch running parallel to the elevation. I'll try to get a picture....it just doesn't come out well.

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Dchall_San_Antonio
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Re: Leveling Bermuda after utility line caused ditch

Post by Dchall_San_Antonio » May 13th, 2019, 6:26 pm

Even a bad picture would help.

Generally I would fill as necessary with sand, water to settle the sand, fill again as needed to bring the settled sand back up, repeat those steps until you're happy, and cover with a fabric to keep rainfall off the bare soil until the grass fills in.

CoachBatch
Posts: 9
Joined: May 13th, 2018, 7:24 pm
Location: Apex, NC
Grass Type: Bermuda Hybrid
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Leveling Bermuda after utility line caused ditch

Post by CoachBatch » May 22nd, 2019, 8:32 am

Image

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Dchall_San_Antonio
Posts: 3339
Joined: December 17th, 2008, 1:53 am
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Grass Type: St Augustine
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Advanced

Re: Leveling Bermuda after utility line caused ditch

Post by Dchall_San_Antonio » June 17th, 2019, 2:45 pm

The board really helps to illustrate your issue. If you try to do all that at once, you will bury the bermuda in the middle deepest parts. I would focus on the center area and build up.

I have used generic kitty litter clay to fill holes. I kinda like and use it as my go-to now. At first the kitty litter is loose and allows the grass to grow through easily, so I like that. For that time the kitty litter makes a shifty/loose surface, but once the grass comes in, the surface locks up tight making a very firm surface. I would lay a strip of kitty litter along the deepest part and sweep it down with a push broom. If you still see grass peeking up after sweeping, then put a little more down on the same line. You don't want to bury the grass, but you do want to get this over with. Give that a week or two for the grass to grow up through and become a little more level with the rest of the area. Then come back with sand over the wider area as shown by the board across the low area.

Am I making sense? I see this perfectly in my mind, but not sure it's communicating. Use the sand to feather in the center out to the edges and bring the low profile up to the surrounding elevation.

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