Rock Sifting Machines

[The Bad Guy]

I'm getting ready to seed my front yard for the first time. Right now, it's just a ton of dirt with a million rocks in it.

Wife has discussed just getting sod, but that might be out of our price range.

I think the best bet would be to rent a machine that sifts the rocks out of the soil,but I have no frame of reference on cost to rent a machine like that.

Is there a small machine that could handle this? I know they make crazy attachments for excavators and that stuff but had no idea if they just make a simple machine to do it.

If I had to pick the rocks myself, I think I might be done around 2022.

Thanks for any advice or guidance.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

what you are looking for is called a rock picker. usually they are made to tow behind a tractor/atv

[tmax63]

When I was growing up it was called "kids".

[Fish]

How many children do you have? Have you considered moving?

Are the rocks just random little rocks in the soil, or are you at the bedrock with very little top soil? How big are the rocks?

Best case either way would be to apply more topsoil. But yeah, that can get expensive.

They make a sifter you can get to hand sift the soil. But I don't know of any machines that are specifically designed to remove rocks on a small affordable scale.

[aturnis]

Sod might not be as expensive as you think. Call a sod farm directly, really good prices. Install it yourself and save even more. Just have to water the fuck out of it for about the first month.

[Bugeater]

Sod might not be as expensive as you think. Call a sod farm directly, really good prices. Install it yourself and save even more. Just have to water the fuck out of it for about the first month.
I'm wondering what kind of issues he may have with the sod taking root if the soil is full of rocks.

[Chief Pote]

Here's your answer...they work great. Call your local Bobcat dealer, they have them for rent.

http://www.rockhound.com/Products/The%20Original%20RockHound%20Rake

[Buehler445]

Man, IDK. I've never dealt with too many rocks, but it depends on why they are there. If they came because some jackass dumped them there when they developed it or if that is the soil makeup.

If it is there in the soil, I'm not sure you will ever get to the end of them. Every time it rains, you may be doing it again.

[Fish]

Couple swaths of this...

http://www.cleanbeach.com/rockpicker.htm

[The Bad Guy]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I guess I should clarify. We just had our house built this year. The lot never had anything on it and the excavator just did a rough grade of the property.

My dad and I seeded the backyard. There were quite a few rocks back there, but nothing like in the front yard.

I wish I had tons of kids to collect the rocks, but my 2 year old isn't at that level yet.

I agree, I don't think I'll ever get rid of all of them because as you said the rain and the cold will bring them to the surface. I'm just looking for the cheapest way to potentially mask them while having a nice looking front yard for my son to play in.

[Titty Meat]

Just hire a Mexican.

[Chiefaholic]

Just go to a local rental and rent a small tractor (40+ hp), a rock rake, and box blade. Depending on the soil, you may have to till it first. After seeding and fertalizing, you can cover with wheat straw by hand or rent a straw blower for a better coverage. It's not that hard and could be done in a few hours (depending on the size of the yard).