Aerate? will it hep my pasture?

[Dale_Alan]

I have a 4 gang disc with the notched blades. If I adjusted each of the gangs to straight and let it cut 2-3" deep, would that be sufficient to aerate the pasture. Adjusted straight it would not be throwing any soil around, just cutting the top layer.
Good idea or not?
Dale

 

[ksluy]

Spoke with my local feed store and he says not many farmers aerate around here because we just don't have the clay that needs to be broken up. He said I would be better off spending my money on fertilizer.

 

[jeff9366]

I have a 4 gang disc with the notched blades. If I adjusted each of the gangs to straight and let it cut 2-3" deep, would that be sufficient to aerate the pasture. Adjusted straight it would not be throwing any soil around, just cutting the top layer.
Good idea or not?
Dale

I tried that with my Disc Harrow with 16 X 18" notched pans, 9" spacing between pans, about 37 pounds harrow weight on each pan. Pans would not penetrate, pans just rolled along the surface of the ground.

Someday I will repeat this experiment, with the Top Link shortened until the rear gang is slightly off the ground, so total harrow weight is concentrated on just the front gang, yielding somewhere around 74 pounds harrow weight on each pan.

Maybe then-----

 

[NoTrespassing]

I bought a fairly expensive 6ft 3point Woods core aerator years ago. We have heavy clay soil with no rocks. My intention was to use it in my pastures and yard. The problem I have with it is that the soil has to be somewhat moist in order for it to penetrate well. When that is the case my L series Kubota with loaded construction tires damages the yard. I've tried adding more weight to point that I broke the 3 point hitch one time. I think it does help the yard but it's tricky to get a good core without damaging the yard.
Turf tires would be the best bet for my situation but I'm not willing to buy an extra set of rims and tires.

Kevin

 

[jeff9366]

Does anyone aerate? And if you do, what do you use?

I keep pondering purchase of a FIELD CULTIVATOR, primarily for pulling subsurface grape vines and wild climbing rose corms to the surface.

However, if I buy a FIELD CULTIVATOR I will try it for aerating pasture. Parabolic shaped rippers require less force than blunt shapes to pull through soil than blunt shapes.

LINK: Fred Cain Tractor 7 Shank 3 Point Field Cultivator, Ripper, Tillage Tool, Jitterbug, Field plow, Bermuda grass plow

 

[oldballs]

I use a Leinbach "Spiker/Aerator", bought from Everything Attachment. Mine is the five foot model that uses a water fill(drainable) for weight. Some think that the plug type aerators are the only way to go, but mine does the job just fine behind the B2620. Except for draining the water in the winter, it is free from replacement parts and maintenance woes. Using it for seeding and fertilizing as needed, my results are obvious on my three acres.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[trouthog]

Here's the link with a video
THis is a great looking product

Everything Attachments Tractor 3 point hitch Core Plugger, Lawn Aerator