Convert Landescape Rake to Spike Harrow?

[Diggin It]

I have a couple of areas or lawn that need to be reseeded this fall. Overseeding hasn't been working and I don't really want to till it all up. I need to disturb the surface enough to break the thatch and other dried junk so I can get good dirt contact for the seed.

Drag or Spike harrows run a couple of hundred dollars for a loose one and quote a bit higher for a three point rigid version. I have a landscape rake I might use, but the tines are flat and about an inch wide, so they may do more surface damage than I'd like. So, to the question:

1. Is there something I can add to the tines to make them more pointed?

2. Is there some kind of replacement tine with a point or stiff wire like would be found on a harrow?

 

[airbiscuit]

Buy or rent a dethatcher or pinestraw rake ($300 from Titan Attachments) They are handy for lots of things.

 

[jjp8182]

I'd look at using nails/spikes (or even bolts/rebar that have the ends ground to a point) and either attaching them to the landscape rake tines or even just a couple/few 2x4's with nails driven through them and hooked together so they keep the nail points down instead of rolling around.

Really all a purchased spike harrow is a collection of replaceable spikes through pipes where the pipes can be rotate to change how aggressively they work .... so not exactly a sophisticated implement (though if it's needed often, having a dedicate one is handy).

For example the Landpride one I have: each spike is roughly 1/2" diamond cross-section spike...

Of course depending on how much area you need to cover a 16in bow rake or handheld landscape rake may be just as fast/simple for taking care of smaller spots vs time to modify/make equipment.

 

[/pine]

lawn aerator - Google Search

 

[Diggin It]

I'm not sure the straw rakes I've looked at would be aggressive enough. I think their purpose is to rake without tearing the turf.

The one pictured above is more what I'm after. Thought about buying a chain type drag harrow and stiffing it up with angle or boards so I could raise and lower it as needed. I have a bunch of landscape timber spikes or I could get some short pieces of rebar to make something, but the price of lumber now is getting scary.

This is a LOT more area than I'd want to do with any type of hand held rake.

 

[kthompson]

Do you have a disk? If so set the blades as straight as possible and at low speed cut an inch or two and should leave little slots for the seeds. A lot of over seeding has been done this way by farmers for years. Also mow lower than normal first, maybe a good bit lower than normal depending on your thatch and grass thickness.

 

[kthompson]

Just wondering. If you were to heat the landscaping teeth red wit torch, could they be twisted 90 degrees so the side of the tooth were engaging the ground? If I were going to try that would get below the bend in the tooth so you keep the springiness of it. Maybe only come up about 6 inches from the bottom of it. That might take the springiness out of it but you could use a hack believe it would be called or a Red Neck design....get you some rebar cut into lengths of say 8 inches and hose clamps, the one that has the cuts in it with built on screw to tighten fully that would fit over the tines on the rake now and with the rebar and think two clamps one at the top and one near the bottom of the tine would hold them in place for what you want. Of if you want a set of these teeth just weld the rebar or other suitable metal to the teeth. The good side benefit of these hacks would be it would not likely be stolen. If so easy to describe. lol

However the best option probably would be a no till drill. Do you have any deer hunter friends who own one or does any local seed seller have one for rent? You might find a rental company who does.