SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

[SCOTCHERS]

SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

HEY ALL ,

COMING BACK TO YOU ALL FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS/ EXPERIENCES. I'M INTERESTED IN BUYING ONE OF THESE TWO ATTACHMENTS ( LEANING TOWARDS THE PLUGGER CORE AERATOR) AS WELL AS THE FERTILIZER SPREADER AND 2 TON WENCH. ANY INFO BOTH GOOD OR BAD WOULD BE APPRECIATED. I'M VERY HAPPY WITH MY OTHER ATTACHMENTS AND PT 425.

SILLY QUESTION, WOULDN'T THE 2 TON WINCH PULL THE TRACTOR APART IF IT'S ACHORED TO A TREE PULLING A TREE WHILE LUMBERING? MAYBE IM WRONG. WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK.

SPREADER LOOKS GREAT FOR SALT OR FERTILIZER. CAN IT ALSO DO SEED? ARE THERE AJUSTABLE SETTINGS FOR DIFFERENT RATES OF APPLICATIONS?

THANKS AGAIN,

JOHN IN SYKESVILLE

 

[BobRip]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

I was seriously considering the original 5 ton winch that PT used to sell. I asked the same question, and they said no problem. A year later they talked me out of buying the 5 ton because it could damage the PT. They then took about a year to down size to the 2 ton. I have used a come along several times to pull my 422 out of the swamp and that puts about 2 tons of force. So far no noticeable damage. I will probably buy the 2 ton winch in a couple of years.

Bob Rip

 

[BobRip]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

Oh yeah, I have the spike areator. It works fine, but I can't say that it has really helped my grass.

Bob Rip

 

[menchhofer]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

Any type of spike aerator isjust about totally useless with regards to proper aeration of a lawn.

Plug aerators are the choice for professional landscaping. The core is actually removed from the ground and depositied on top leaving a hole in the surface. This truly aerates the yard.

The spike takes nothing out of the soil and just creates a very temporary slit which closes much sooner.

Lawn rollers are also mostly useless. The roller is actually not heavy enough to flatten most lawns, but every year I see people rolling their lawns. In most situations, the ground is already compact enough and additional rolling makes the compaction even worse for both the grass and other plants.

 

[pajoube]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

I have the core aerator and could not be happier. I go out just after a rain (3 times this week) and have taken out 3 inch cores each time. I prefer doing it in the fall and let the cores rot over the winter but it was to dry last fall.
I could have picked up much business just from people seeing me aerating and the quality of plugs taken out. Not really into the business part but have helped the church and friends plus my own yard. It takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hour to do an acre and that is going forward and backwards.
This is a great attachment that I would not be without.
PJ

 

[tracdoc]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

I totally agree with the benefits of a plug/core aerator. I would only add a note of caution for what it's worth. You know the old rule of "call before you dig"? Well who woulda' thought /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I had a fellow come over to core aerate my yard last Fall, and while he was working, my telephone went dead. To make a long story short, when the phone company trenched their cable around my yard, they didn't want to get into a couple of French drains, so they trenched shallow. Shallow indeed! The plug aerator cut the dang cable in two.

I called the phone company, explained my encounter, and they came over, repaired and re-trenched deeper. I have since heard from a number of acquaintances in my area that this is not a rare problem here.

 

[mlhunter]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

<font color="blue"> SPREADER LOOKS GREAT FOR SALT OR FERTILIZER. CAN IT ALSO DO SEED? ARE THERE AJUSTABLE SETTINGS FOR DIFFERENT RATES OF APPLICATIONS? </font>

Scott Gentry at PowerTrac told me recently that the fertilizer spreader is adjustable and would spread seed just fine. Howver, I'm not sure how one would get the correct setting without considerable trial and error.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

<font color="red"> I'm not sure how one would get the correct setting without considerable trial and error. </font>

Despite numbers, levers, indicators, etc. I've had that problem with all the seeders/spreaders I've used. I think at best the manufacturers can only give you starting points for the trial and error.

 

[MossRoad]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

Unless you purchase a spreader that is calibrated by the company that makes the material to be spread, there is really no way to tell.

When I spread fertilizer or chemicals and the bag says it will cover X amount of square feet, I measure out the area that needs it and divide the bag of stuff proportionally for the areas to be covered. Then I set the spreader for a very light setting and go over the area one time. I see how much of the stuff is left to spread and measure it if necessary. If there is 1/2 left, I know I need to go over the are one more time. If there is 3/4 left I need to go over the area one time, adjust the spreader to 1/2 the opening that I am currently at and go over the area again, etc... With a little practice you can get it right pretty easily and figure out what settings to use for the size of the material to be spread.

Another thing I would like to do is have measuring marks on the inside of my spreaders. This would help with calculations. I might take a gallon jug and fill it with sand. Dump it in the spreader, level it out and score the inside of the spreaders, dump in another gallon of sand, level and score, and repeat all the way up the side of the spreadere. The number really means nothing, it is just a scale that can be used to determine how many units of a substance are spread over a measured area. It could help with large areas.

However, for most homeowners with small areas, I think I would just stick with the smaller applications repeated several times to get the total material spread over the area in multiple passes, rather than risking over application.

Pretty long winded, huh? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[tracdoc]

Re: SPIKE AERATOR VERSUS PLUGGER CORE AERATOR

Ditto on Charlie's observations.

I have yet to find a spreader that will do a really decent job at seeding. I can manage with most of the granular amendments. Their size/shape/weight tend to help keep a continuous flow with a broadcast spreader. With seed however, I always seem to get voids just above the exit channels. Stuff's too light or something.

Most reasonable spreader I found is the "commercial" grade tow-behind at TSC. All poly, except for gears, hubs, so no rust, and it has zerks for wheels and broadcast mechanism. All for under $150, and it tows well w/ the PT.