Aerator For Homeowners

[PJNH]

I am looking for a well built aerator for home use (2-3 X per year on 55,000 square feet). I would like the core plug type and I would also prefer to stay away from Sears and like models from other manufactures while at the same time, I cannot afford or justify a $1000+ machine. What is between those spectrums? Turfvent any good?

PJ

 

[wushaw]

Look at what CCM has Carter & Carter Machinery, Hay Equipment Headquarters under compact implements.

 

[Shimon]

I have some moles I'll let you have for free...they are excellent for aerating soil.

 

[ChuckinNH]

I don't know where you are located, but Northwood Power in Northwood NH sells Husquvarnna (sp) tools as well as Massey. They had a very nice looking plug aerator for around $500 I think....... about half way between Sears and the higher end ones.

 

[AMR]

I was thinking about the same thing. What do you do with the plugs though?

 

[hazmat]

I was thinking about the same thing. What do you do with the plugs though?

You just let them decompose back into the lawn. If it is dry, you'll have quite the dust storm the next time you mow.

More info here KSU lawn aeration (pdf)

I have a first choice/midwest aerator that I got for ~$700 a few years back before steel prices shot thru the roof. Even then it was 1/2 what a woods or landpride was going for.

 

[thatguy]

The local JD Dealer rents a core aerator that sells used in the $500-600 range, so you may want to check with some rental places.. BUT for no more than you are using it a pull behind from Sears/Northern Tool/Lowes/HD may do what you need for a little less money.. Sears (and Lowes special order) does have an Agri-Fab 3pt core aerator that is in the under $400 range..

I have been using a friends Sears pull behind 48" core aerator that did a great job on my lawn (im about 36,000 sq ft)... Several days after a good rain I was getting 2 to 3" plugs and I had about 140# of weight on it..

good luck

Brian

 

[NJDiverDan]

I have the pull behind model that Tractor Supply sells. I think it was around $200-$250. It is a plug style (spoons) and works really well. I load it up with about 150 lbs of weight (tube sand) and I get pretty good penatration in my lawn. I am thinking about converting it to a 3pt attachment though but may not for how often I need to use it.

-dan

 

[jeffinsgf]

I was thinking about the same thing. What do you do with the plugs though?

Hazmat is right, if you just leave them alone, they will eventually decompose and blend in. I bought a lawn sweeper to pick them up, though. It gets the yard looking cleaner much sooner, and you won't trash your mower deck. The plugs went into my compost pile and will be in next year's topdressing material.

If you pick up the plugs with a sweeper, empty the sweeper long before it seems like it is getting full. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[Jibber]

I have the agri fab variety and was pleasantly surprised. I purchased extra spoons because my soil is so rocky and a previous model was virtually destroyed by the rocks. I have not yet had to replace a single spoon. I load it up with weight and pull it with a two wheel drive Sears 18 hp garden tractor and it works great. I don't worry about the plugs.. they break down in just a few good rains. Now.. my soil is pretty organic. I don't know how that would work with heavy clay.. it might take a while.

That 3pt model listed above at Carter and Carter.. man that is one bizarre looking animal. How exactly does that work? It doesn't appear to take up plugs.. at least I don't see hollow tubes of any sort.

 

[hazmat]

Hazmat is right, if you just leave them alone, they will eventually decompose and blend in. I bought a lawn sweeper to pick them up, though. It gets the yard looking cleaner much sooner, and you won't trash your mower deck. The plugs went into my compost pile and will be in next year's topdressing material.

If you pick up the plugs with a sweeper, empty the sweeper long before it seems like it is getting full. Don't ask me how I know this.

Jeff - please describe your topdressing method - implements used, qty of compost etc. I've done some research on this but it seems that 1/4 - 1/2" of material is recommended = 30-60+ yards of material per acre (I have 1 acre of lawn). Seems prohibitively expensive & time consuming...

 

[gotcha]

I was thinking about the same thing. What do you do with the plugs though?

It looks like a very large flock of greese landed in your yard and did their thing all over the place and by the way did I mention it feels like also when you walk on them.
The Gotcha Man

 

[jeffinsgf]

Jeff - please describe your topdressing method - implements used, qty of compost etc. I've done some research on this but it seems that 1/4 - 1/2" of material is recommended = 30-60+ yards of material per acre (I have 1 acre of lawn). Seems prohibitively expensive & time consuming...

Expensive? Yes. Time consuming? Depends on your equipment. Worthwhile? If you're the "yard ****" that I am, priceless.

I found a Turfco Mete-R-Matic on eBay a year ago. (see this link: Mete-R-Matic) It was a rusting pile of junk, but Turfco had all the parts I needed and some very helpful folks. I spent a couple weeks on it and ended up with an $8,800 spreader for just over $2,000. With it I can spread a perfect layer of any thickness 5 feet wide. I have used it to topdress the lawn and also to spread chipper chips on paths through my woods.

I topdressed last year (and will again in a few weeks) with MoJava compost (see this link: Springfield Recycling MoJava). It is composted by the city of Springfield and contains yard waste and the coffee grounds from a processing house that makes a coffee candy here. It had a bigger effect on my lawn than any fertilizer I have ever used. I did it right after core aerating. I aerate twice a year, sometimes more, but I can't justify the cost of topdressing more than once a year. When my compost gets ready, I will mix it in with MoJava and save a few bucks.