Backhoe Rotary Hoe as aerator

[n219ct]

Hello all,

I am trying to find a way to aerate my fields -- they are fairly compacted and I do not want to plow them under and take them out of pasture service.

I am interested in the Aerway product but it is extremely expensive. I was searching online and came across used John Deere Rotary hoes, which seem to be extremely inexpensive for the amount of metal they have. . .

Does anyone have any thoughts on using these to aerate existing pastures with possible overseeding after?

Thanks!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Rotary hoes are intended for light weeding and crust/clod breaking on tilled fields. I doubt seriously you'd see any significant results when used on existing turf. Rotary hoes are just too lightweight for that to happen. Even when used in tilled soil, they don't work very deep. In compacted turf ground, I'd be suprised to see ANY penetration.

 

[zionview]

Check around to see if there are any Aerways to rent. I rented one to refurbish pastures awhile back. You're only going to need one every few years.

 

[Luremaker]

I converted my rototiller to a pasture renovator last month. I finally cut and drilled my blades. In my case my pastures are too rocky to plow them under. I did about 5 acres this fall and hope to do another 5 acres in the spring. I plan on frost seeding the first five acres in the spring with a pasture seed mixture. If it works like I hope it will I'll continue doing the rest of my pastures. I got the idea from Mother Earth News website.

http://http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1980-09-01/Pasture-Renovation.aspx

 

[Ally]

i have a mitsubishi D1850FD which i run a rotary hoe behind and (i'm sorry farmwithjunk ) but it is amazing what that thing can cut through. I do my firebreaks every year with it on some pretty compacted ground. the neighbouring properties slash then use a plough and honestly you wouldn't know the difference except that the hoe can make the dirt look real pretty cutting it up so fine, depending what pto speed you run it in. as for aerating though.....hmmmm.... wouldn't one of those big round spikey things be what you're looking for?

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Ally, I think you and Farmingwithjuunk are talking about two different things. The one he is talking about pulls behind ths tractor and looks kinda like a spike areator . It does not hook to the PTO.