Turf Attachment Questions

[LHS Inc]

I have a couple attachment questions regarding turf/lawn care attachments:

#1 If you wanted to seed a new lawn wit h your tractor, what would you use?
I have seen these huge (and expensive) "Seed Drills" that can be used for primary seeding or overseeding: 2010 LAND PRIDE APS1572 Other For Sale At TractorHouse.com Can you use just a standard PTO broadcast spreader like this to seed a lawn or overseed? Land Pride Fertilizer Spreaders

#2 Does anyone make a 3-point hitch mounted dethatcher? I've searched and the only thing I've come up with is a "pine straw rake".

As far as broadcast spreaders I do have the LandPride FS 1000 3 pt spreader. I've only used it one time on a 3.5 acre lawn but I was pleased with it. I got the bigger of the three models to handle large applications of fert and lime especially.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Thanks for the info LHS.

 

[donn12]

I just did this with a JRCO dethatcher, box blade and a Herd M96 3pt spreader. I made several passes with the box blade (rippers only down) and the dethatcher to rip up as much soil as possible. You could also use a lesco push spreader for seed which is fine if you dont need the 3pt unit.
The JRCO has wheels to follow the ground contours, I am not sure how a 3pt unit would do.
Lime good seed and water are very important.

 

[Kays Supply]

Once you have a lawn, aeration is very important. I fought the overseeding job like discussed before. I finally started aerating yearly. The lawn accepts fertilizer better and the existing grass is doing great. It has done more for my lawn than anything else I have done.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Once you have a lawn, aeration is very important. I fought the overseeding job like discussed before. I finally started aerating yearly. The lawn accepts fertilizer better and the existing grass is doing great. It has done more for my lawn than anything else I have done.

Plug or core?


Matt

 

[LHS Inc]

Plug or core?


Matt

A core aerator pulls up a plug of soil about 3 inches long and lays it on top of the ground. This type of aerator is the best way to get results. There are some types of equipment that call themselves aerators but all they do is press a hole into the soil that actually causes more compaction. Don't waste your time with them.

 

[JeffinNE]

A core aerator pulls up a plug of soil about 3 inches long and lays it on top of the ground. This type of aerator is the best way to get results. There are some types of equipment that call themselves aerators but all they do is press a hole into the soil that actually causes more compaction. Don't waste your time with them.

Well said and VERY TRUE!

 

[jenkinsph]

A core aerator pulls up a plug of soil about 3 inches long and lays it on top of the ground. This type of aerator is the best way to get results. There are some types of equipment that call themselves aerators but all they do is press a hole into the soil that actually causes more compaction. Don't waste your time with them.

So do you recommend a core aerator for tall fescue? I ask because my dealer told me that a cre areator wasn't the way to go for tall fescue. I am having doubts about this and think I may need to aerate the ground.

My soil is sandy clay loam, seems to drain well enough but I think it is compacting too much.

 

[leonz]

If you can rent a motorised dethatcher that will help you greatly as you will be able to set it deep and destroy any invasive weeds like ground ivy or poison ivy.

The key to using a dethatcher is operating it at right angles when dethatching your lawn as it cuts slits in the turf from one end to the other and when you are done the dethatching job has deep lines cut into the sod at
90 degree angles over the entire lawn as this opens the sod and allows you to spread grass seed, Lawn Lime, Gypsum, and fertilizer if needed and none of it goes to waste on you as it washes or falls into the slits created by the overseeding/dethatching operation.

 

[LHS Inc]

So do you recommend a core aerator for tall fescue? I ask because my dealer told me that a cre areator wasn't the way to go for tall fescue. I am having doubts about this and think I may need to aerate the ground.

My soil is sandy clay loam, seems to drain well enough but I think it is compacting too much.

Yes, core aerating is done in tall fescue lawns all the time here in the Mid Atlantic states. The cores are big enough to get the compaction under control yet small enough to dry out/ break up as to not cause damage to the existing grass. Depending on how deep you can pull up a plug of soil, ideally 3 inches, and with a good aerator I would just go in one direction. If you go in two directions I would think about this being a good time to overseed as you have more plugs of soil on top of the ground giving you even better seed to soil contact.

I core aerated my tall fescue lawn this past fall and overseeded with great results. I wanted to aerate in two directions but the rented core aerator broke a weld on the hitch and I couldn't get in done but one direction.

What was the reason not to aerate in tall fescue? Its one tough grass and they have only gotten better over the last several years.