Rotivator or Mini Digger

alexlyons

Moved into the new house just before lockdown and the current challenge is dealing with the massive flower bed in the middle of the grass.

It has the hatch for the septic tank in the middle, and like the rest of the garden, the few bits around it originally had got totally overgrown.

There seems to be a decent amount of soil below, certainly enough to seed the majority and deal with a small manhole cover with a plant on it

There are 2 small bushes and 10-15 rocks (40kg each or so) as well as a large old flower pot

My debate

Option 1: Manually remove the rocks, flower pot and bushes and roots and then hire a tiller or similar and motivate the soil. The risk is hitting the tank, but if I set the depth to 3 or 4 inches I think it should be ok

Option 2: Hire a mini digger and gently scrape the surface off the soil, letting it do the heavy lifting. Then use a fork to turn the soil a small bit before adding fresh soil on top.
Risk here is destroying the grass around it as I need to avoid going onto the tank.
I do have another small job or two for the digger I may get done in a day



Open to suggestions/thoughts

standardg60

Never move a mountain to create a molehill..remove the rocks and shrubs, rake it level as best you can, throw down a bit of grass seed, job done!

magicbastarder

i was just thinking the plot is not that big a few hours digging with a garden fork, maybe?

looksee

Agree with the others, you don't need a mini digger or a rotovator for that. Move the rocks (if you can get someone to help you, and you don't want to lift them yourself, get a tough piece of old fabric, roll the rock onto it then the two of you just carry it between you). For the rest, fork it over a bit, rake it level and put down some seed. By the time it has been mowed a few time you won't know the difference.

alexlyons

Some good advice their, ill need a bit of topsoil to make it level with the rest of the grass anyway.

Thanks folks