Lawn Aerator(s)

[oldnslo]

Hi all,
I have a few questions about lawn aerators that hopefully some of you can answer.
Purchased this home last fall and I am going to be landscaping and reseeding most of my lawn this fall and I am looking into which tools would be the best choice to to try and rent or purchase. Ground is flat and gets hard when dry and muddy gumbo when wet in areas. If I aerate the pasture I am looking at 2 + acres. Just the lawn 3/4 acre

1) Have been researching plug type aerators and was wondering if the water fillable units that weigh around 500 lbs in the 48" width would also help roll and level the yard? (Everything attachments PLG series)

2) 3PH mount vs pull type: Only major benefit I can to 3PH is easier to lift for transport crossing driveways etc. and takes up less area when stored. Am I missing something?

3) Will the less expensive models at TSC, Farm & Fleet last for more than a season or two. I know they will not work as roller.

4) Can spring tooth type dethacher be pulled behind these to help breakup the plugs and help knock them into the low spots once the lawn is established?

TIA

Roy

 

[gwdixon]

1) Generally the lawn is rolled as a separate job. The weight on the tines is to help them penetrate the soil. The roller will recompress the lawn immediately. Some people like to sand the lawn after aerating.

2) Depending on the aerator, when a turn is made the outside tines go faster than the inside tines so the lawn gets torn up. A 3 PH can be lifted at the end of a run and put back down after a turn is made thus avoiding the tearing.

Some pull aerators recognize this and run the tines in separate sections on the main shaft. Look for this if buying a pull type.

3) Not sure about the models of aerators you mention. However, make sure the bearings are greaseable and the sheet metal is thick. Aerators take a lot of abuse with the weight and the bumping along - especially if the soil is a little dry.

4) A spring dethacher will work but not that well. They are usually narrow and will take many passes. The job they are designed to do is different than what you want. Dragging something like a section of chain link fence will do better at spreading the plugs and breaking them up if that is what you want.

A pipe to attach the fencing will help keep the fencing stretched out for a wide path. Using a heavy rope or cable attached at a couple of places along the pipe will make it track better than just one attach point.

 

[sweettractors]

We stock the 5 ft "Tarter" core aerator at $1195 for 3 point and customers rave about the good job they do and how well they are engineered. Ken Sweet

 

[oldnslo]

Thanks Guys,
like the idea of chain link Vs Spring tooth.

Ken,
Do you offer demo's in northern Illinois?

How large of a unit will a 18 HP SCUT pull? I don't think it would be HP issue as much as a traction issue.

Roy

 

[sweettractors]

Ken,
Do you offer demo's in northern Illinois?



Not as of today. We are thinking about making some videos of various machines that we sell and making them available on our website or posting them on Youtube. Do you think something like that be helpful? That may a next year project. Ken Sweet

 

[oldnslo]

Ken,
Do you offer demo's in northern Illinois?



Not as of today. We are thinking about making some videos of various machines that we sell and making them available on our website or posting them on Youtube. Do you think something like that be helpful? That may a next year project. Ken Sweet

Ken,
I find the demo tapes like Everything attachments or Messicks have to be very helpful. Some times that picture is worth a 1000 words or more.

Roy

 

[ChuckinNH]

Remember that you can't turn corners with a 3pt aerator. I use a simple pull behind model that I bought at Sears. It goes about 3" deep, and seems to work pretty well.

 

[sweettractors]

Remember that you can't turn corners with a 3pt aerator. I use a simple pull behind model that I bought at Sears. It goes about 3" deep, and seems to work pretty well.

But, wouldn't a 3 point implement be a lot better, if a friend of neighbor, down the road or across town, wanted to borrow it? Ken Sweet

 

[gwdixon]

Remember that you can't turn corners with a 3pt aerator. I use a simple pull behind model that I bought at Sears. It goes about 3" deep, and seems to work pretty well.

Actually, you can turn corners with a 3 PH aerator if it is built correctly.

By "built correctly" the tine wheels are individually mounted on the axle or in pairs and rotate independently of the others. I have a couple of them and they make turns just fine. One is similar to the model sold by Sweet.

The pull behind ones with the tine wheels all permanently mounted to the axle really tear up a lawn on turns.

If I find the time pictures will be posted.

 

[Stradbash]

Actually, you can turn corners with a 3 PH aerator if it is built correctly. By "built correctly" the tine wheels are individually mounted on the axle or in pairs and rotate independently of the others. I have a couple of them and they make turns just fine. One is similar to the model sold by Sweet.

But don't you find that even with individual wheels there is enough lateral movement of the "spoons" while turning that it tears the turf quite a bit? I know that with mine I can do large radius turns if I'm careful but if I try to turn sharp I rip the sod more than I'd like.