# Sams Backyard Reno - Upstate SC - Celebration Bermuda



## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

I have been waiting for over a year to start and complete my backyard renovation. My wife and I decided to add an addition to our house which from planning to end has taken close to a year. Now that its finished, its time for the backyard.

Previously the backyard was 6,000sq ft mix of contractor bermuda, fescue, weeds, etc.... The yard also had a 3-4' grade for the right side to the left. No irrigation.

Vision: Grade the backyard flatter. Moving dirt from right side of yard to the left. Use a dragnet/pallet to smooth out and level the surface. Use pull behind water tank roller to compact the soil. Install Celebration Bermuda (will be laying the sod myself, RIP). No underground irrigation, will use a couple tripod impact sprinklers to cover the yard. I have a 2017 Toro Greensmaster Flex 1800 I plan to cut the Celebration at .500-.750".

In the first image if you take a line from the skidsteer to where I am taking the picture, I am probably going to add a trench there as a water collection spot to make sure water isnt running towards the house. I will need to see how water it running off now that I have it flatter. But I intended on add some sort of drainage to assist with water run off. I may need to add some extension to those crawl space window wells so they are higher until I figure it out.

4/23/2022
Here are images from this weekend. I rented a larger skid steer from Home Depot. I love renting from them. I rented the F250 flatbed to tow it. It took me from 10am-5pm to get this done. Cost me close to $500 for rental and fuel. WELL worth it versus paying someone else. I probably could have used it for another 1/2 day to get a little smoother, but didnt have the time today to fully commit to it. I will use my zero turn with pull behind leveler to get smoother, then will roll it. I am going to do a transition slope around the edges that will be mulched and planted with plants of some sort. Will also bed edge at the bottom of the slope next to grass. I want the bed edge trench to contain the mulch from getting on the grass since I will be using reel mower.

Going to collect soil sample from a couple spots and drop it off at Clemson tomorrow for a soil sample.


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## jasonbraswell (Aug 18, 2019)

looks like a great project!


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

Struggling to find a Harley/Power Rake to rent in my area that is affordable. I am needing one to get this area super flat and fill in low spots. I was dragging with a large pallet which helped knock up the rocks. Not I am needing to fill in low spots and get everything extra flat.

Any advice would be great!


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## littlehuman (Jun 10, 2020)

Just a suggestion - it looks like you've compacted the ground a decent bit with the skid steer. In lieu of a power rake, I would maybe look into renting a tiller and then use it to mix up the top 4-6 inches, followed by either a drag raking, levellawn, or light rolling (or drag your pallet again).

I don't think a power rake is going to do much for you in terms of leveling anything out.


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

littlehuman said:


> Just a suggestion - it looks like you've compacted the ground a decent bit with the skid steer. In lieu of a power rake, I would maybe look into renting a tiller and then use it to mix up the top 4-6 inches, followed by either a drag raking, levellawn, or light rolling (or drag your pallet again).
> 
> I don't think a power rake is going to do much for you in terms of leveling anything out.


Not a bad idea. Thanks for your advice. I was reading a power rake could go down to 4-6" inches. I have a 4x6' drag mat I am planning on using after that. Maybe the tiller would be the best best, then drag it to fill in low or move around high spots.


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

Update - 5/2/2022

10 pallets of Celebration Bermuda coming this Friday morning.

Spent the end of last week renting a skid steer and Harley rake. This ended up working great for what I wanted to do. The Harley rake would pulverize the rocks and dirt down to 4-6". This made all the dirt very fluffy.










After using the Harley rake I used a 20" wire shelving with 2 50lb sandbags dragged behind my zero turn to knock down all the wheel marks, collect all the rocks, and smooth/level out the surface. If you are in a bind and do not have a drag net (which can be $100-300) a $18 wire shelving from Home Depot with a couple sand bags works amazing.


















Next I wanted to pipe in a downspout into an existing drain pipe. Rented a ditch-witch from Home Depot and cut the ditches. Advice to anyone else doing this, make sure you rent a ditch witch that cuts 4" wide paths, if not you will need to either make 2 passes of every ditch or have to hand dig it out to make it wider. Most ditch witches seem to only cut 3" wide ditches.










I ordered a drag net and should be here Tuesday. I am going to do some hand raking to get the last of the rocks up. Then drag it and hand rake it to make sure its as flat as it can be. I also will be working on the sloped sides. Those will be tapered off into the grass, then once the sod is rooted I will rent a bed edger. Eventually we will probably get 20-30yard of mulch and mulch the slopes and around green giant trees.
I should get my soil sample test back on Wed/Thursday. Will then put down the recommended soil amendments right before sod gets delivered.


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## littlehuman (Jun 10, 2020)

Ahhh you used a harley rake! When you said power rake, my mind went to this :lol: (I read right over "harley" in your original post)

Looks like you got it done! The last touch with the drag mat will be a perfect prep before the sod. I'm excited to see your progress this season.


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

littlehuman said:


> Ahhh you used a harley rake! When you said power rake, my mind went to this :lol: (I read right over "harley" in your original post)
> 
> Looks like you got it done! The last touch with the drag mat will be a perfect prep before the sod. I'm excited to see your progress this season.


Haha, oh gosh, yes you would have definitely been correct on that advice. I would have gotten nothing accomplished!

I am a little bummed out, I called to confirm my sod order for Friday and they confirmed they cut the sod in Tiles and not small rolls......I have only worked with rolls in the path and hoping the tiles are just as easy to work with and get flat.

I bought some gypsum and I have a liquid soil aerification product I am putting out to help in the preexisting hard panned area. Then waiting for my soil sample results from Clemson to put out the additional products.


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## littlehuman (Jun 10, 2020)

jsams22 said:


> I am a little bummed out, I called to confirm my sod order for Friday and they confirmed they cut the sod in Tiles and not small rolls......I have only worked with rolls in the path and hoping the tiles are just as easy to work with and get flat.


I wouldn't worry too much. My Celebration came in rectangular tiles (length was about twice the width) and they were very easy to lay down and get flat.

I laid a strip of peat moss down before doing each row of sod, I'd punch each piece into the ground a little bit just to get any air pockets out, I'd water the row when finished, and then repeat until I was done. All in all, I think the peat moss was my best move - it kept everything nice and moist while establishing and I didn't have a single piece of sod give me trouble rooting in.


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

Last bit of prep work done, may do a little hand leveling in a couple spots. Need to let the body rest and rejuvenate before sod on Friday morning.


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## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

jsams22 said:


> Last bit of prep work done, may do a little hand leveling in a couple spots. Need to let the body rest and rejuvenate before sod on Friday morning.


Looks great!


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

Got the sod laid this weekend. We got about .10" of raid a couple hours before the semi pulled up and softened the soil up enough that the moffett dug out some ruts I had to rake. I did 4 pallets by myself on Friday. Then Saturday I had my wife and three neighbors help with the other 6. I bought two large tripod sprinklers from Amazon that work great. I have one alcove area that I cant seem to get waters great. I am going to throw a popup sprinkler on a spike and see if I can get it sighted in.







I finally got my soil sample back from Clemson. I had not touched this backyard for a full year. No pre-post emergent or nutrients. You can tell by the results. I ended up putting out around 70lbs of lime, then 40lbs of 23-23-3. Will probably do another test in a month to see how it has all leveled out.


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## jasonbraswell (Aug 18, 2019)

Great work! looking nice.


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

1 week update. I put out some Seaweed Kelp last night. I saw an instant green up by morning time. Did some sanding of seams where there were some gaps. I know its only been one week, already itching to get a cut on it.


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## WillyT (Jun 26, 2019)

Very nice!


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

Update photo. Almost all the seams have grown in. I did the first cut this weekend at .75" and took off the tips.


Talked to a could guys on the TFL discord. I really want to fix some low spots and minor leveling issues. Going to probably drop it down sub .500" and scalp it. Then get 3-4 yards of sand and top dress/drag/level it.

HungrySoutherner convinced me based on his photos. Will post pictures


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## latitude36 (Mar 27, 2019)

my back hurt from reading this--looks great. I am in the process of planning how to take out 10K of common--regrading and installing 8K of hybrid Bermuda. I had a contractor propose they take the grass out with a front loader. I am worried it might grow into the new sod.


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

latitude36 said:


> my back hurt from reading this--looks great. I am in the process of planning how to take out 10K of common--regrading and installing 8K of hybrid Bermuda. I had a contractor propose they take the grass out with a front loader. I am worried it might grow into the new sod.


I did it all by myself and wasnt too bad. Skid steer is worth every $ I spent. I dont have the time or energy to do items by hand anymore.

My yard was full of chickweed, hairy bitter, common, and KY31. I scraped all that off and added it to the bottom of the left side of the photos at the top. All the scraped off bad grass/weeds is now under 2-3ft of soil. If you are able to scrape off a good 4-6" I feel like you should be good to lay the hybrid on top without any issues. The hybrid would drown out any common anyways.

Definitely post some pictures of your journey.


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

2 Week post sod follow up. I am on my third cut of the grass. Currently at .600". Looks much longer in the photo. 
I was planning on doing a scalp and sand level project this week, but we are getting a decent amount of rain. Will see how the yard is tomorrow.

I put out 1lb of N last night before the rain.

I am also going to rent a bed edger and edge the sod corners off and have a distinct edge. Then will either mulch or pine needle the clay sloped area and around the green giant trees all the way to the fence. My only concern is getting everything level, then driving over it with all the mulch and rutting it out......maybe should do the mulch, then sand level.


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## WillyT (Jun 26, 2019)

Looking good!


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## littlehuman (Jun 10, 2020)

Solid work, man! Looks great!


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

First, I got the yard bed edged and looking sharp. Getting ready for Needles/Mulch.....





Well....things got interesting today haha. The Lord blessed us with 2 inches of rain in the last hour. Was not able to get the drain tapped in. Had to perform a tracheostomy on my existing downspout pipe. Actually worked very well!
https://www.veed.io/view/006211b5-6965-4772-9527-1aa886599743


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## UFG8RMIKE (Apr 21, 2019)

Looking good, ready to do a celebration on our new build soon.

No permanent irrigation after your done?


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## jsams22 (Apr 20, 2021)

Putting down .25# of N a week (16-4-8).

Wife and I got 20 yards of mulch out and still needed 10yards more. Got that ordered and will be wrapping it up this weekend


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## monsonman (Dec 9, 2020)

.6" a couple weeks after laying it?! And without any major scalping either! I'm impressed...you're prep work definitely paid off. Looking forward to following this one as it will only get better from here.


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