Best bet for a lawn aerator?

   / Best bet for a lawn aerator? #1  

TenZero

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
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5
Location
Indianapolis
Looks like a core aerator is the best way to go, no? (as opposed to the tine type)

Any specific brands I should look for? Which ones to stay away from?

I'll be pulling it behind my JD L111 on my 3/4 acre lawn if that matters. If I get my way I'll be pulling it behind an X324 soon /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

One last thing, can someone recommend some good sites on DIY lawn care?
 
   / Best bet for a lawn aerator?
  • Thread Starter
#2  
Looks like a core aerator is the best way to go, no? (as opposed to the tine type)

Any specific brands I should look for? Which ones to stay away from?

I'll be pulling it behind my JD L111 on my 3/4 acre lawn if that matters. If I get my way I'll be pulling it behind an X324 soon /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

One last thing, can someone recommend some good sites on DIY lawn care?
 
   / Best bet for a lawn aerator? #3  
Some guys may disagree with me here, but for 3/4 ac(I do about 1.5ac) I cant see buying one.. I rent one once a year in the spring for $25(over night),tow it with my 4wheeler and take it back.. I dont have to store it, keep it up(bearrings and tines), or lend it out.. My question would be how often tdo I need to use it, maybe I dont aerate my lawn enough, but even $50 per year is a pretty good deal.. And from everything I have read, the core aerators are the best because they dont compact the ground to punch the hole.. It makes for a looser packed hole for the nutrients to leech into the soil..
 
   / Best bet for a lawn aerator? #4  
Some guys may disagree with me here, but for 3/4 ac(I do about 1.5ac) I cant see buying one.. I rent one once a year in the spring for $25(over night),tow it with my 4wheeler and take it back.. I dont have to store it, keep it up(bearrings and tines), or lend it out.. My question would be how often tdo I need to use it, maybe I dont aerate my lawn enough, but even $50 per year is a pretty good deal.. And from everything I have read, the core aerators are the best because they dont compact the ground to punch the hole.. It makes for a looser packed hole for the nutrients to leech into the soil..
 
   / Best bet for a lawn aerator? #5  
whats your soil like? If its hard clay you will be wasting your time with a core aerator. You wont get deep enough to make any difference.
 
   / Best bet for a lawn aerator? #6  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( whats your soil like? If its hard clay you will be wasting your time with a core aerator. You wont get deep enough to make any difference. )</font>

When I do mine it pulls out 2" plugs.. I also try to do it after a rain so the ground is a bit softer..
 
   / Best bet for a lawn aerator? #7  
2 inchs is not adiquite. 4 to 6 is best and 8 to 10 is better. Turf needs deeper than 2 inch root zones to perform through drought
conditions. In clay soil deep aeration is critical for a healthy turf. the more tilth the soil has at deeper depths the healther the turf.
If you do nothing to improve the tilth of clay soil(adding humus) at the time of aeration its a waste of time. aerating does not make clay soil better. If the aerator goes no deeper than 2 inchs I wouldent waste time topdressing either.
 
   / Best bet for a lawn aerator? #8  
It seemed to perk up after aerating and fertilizer /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif You mentioned not to topdress, dont you think that a mushroom compost would help with aeration?
 
   / Best bet for a lawn aerator? #10  
I am seriously considering one of these:

Turfco aerator page

I rented a walk behind and it took me most of a day to do an acre. The tow behind at the rental yard looked like one of the TinkerToy models at the big box stores.

I am going to disagree with Garrabo about the futility of aerating clay soils and shallow aeration. I think that you have to work at clay soil to get what you want. If you aerate and you can only pull a 2 inch plug, then you go in and top dress with compost, you will break down the clay a little, build up the quality of the topsoil and give the roots more room to grow. Now when you aerate the next time, you might get a 3 inch penetration. Keep aerating twice or three times a year and top dressing with quality compost (and periodically a heavy dose of sharp sand) and pretty soon you'll have a healthy top soil layer and a healthy lawn.

I've been doing that to a clay/limestone pasture for about a year now, and it is now starting to turn heads. It is becoming one of the nicest yards around.
 
 
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