What Kind of Aeration Do You Use?

[KennyV]

It raises the question, though, whether the benefits of core aeration are as great if you don't fertilize. I wonder if people have tried different methods on different patches of lawn and seen any real difference.

It is not necessary to fertilize to gain more from core than spike or slice... any method will help get nutrients down into the soil...
Core will work better as it has much LESS compaction than other methods and it brings micro-organisms to the top of the lawn ...
If you don't want to wait for the cores to break down you can use a chunk of chain link fence with a landscape timber attached as a drag to crumb the plugs as you go...
If you have a lot of hard clay you might also want to topdress with a little gypsum and if you need to tip the ph add a little lime with the mix... :smile:KennyV
PS... any aeration is going to be better than never aerating....

 

[benski]

I'm a big fan of aerating every other year. The plugs are unsightly, but do eventually break down. Some cheap dishwashing soap (NON anti-bacterial!) and some beer in a 20 gallon hose end sprayer will help dissolve the plugs a little faster, it seems.

 

[Briana]

This thread has been moved to the new Polls Forum. :biggrin:

 

[wfm215]

I use a contraption I bought off the internet several years ago. Buy Aeroller Lawn Aerator Online It attaches to the axle of my front wheel roto tiller. Punches out 3 to 4 inch cores, if ground is somewhat moist I get 5 inch, if bone dry I get 1 inch. I do it every September and April. Lush lawn as a result. Fertilizer works much better too. I use my ninja mulching blade to obliterate the cores. Usually takes a week or two for them to dry out in the sun. Trust me, aerate at least once a year and overseed with pelletize lime and your lawn will be healthy.

 

[Dallas Burgher]

I had heavy clay soil in Dayon, Ohio and over a five year period changed the soil's condition via core aeration. Am trying to do the same thing in Dallas but I'm getting old.

 

[cabdor]

I use a spike aeration It works will for me. For a long time I did not do anything at all. Now after aeration my yard only before I spread fertilizer it looks 100 % better.

 

[wjjones]

Pull behind core aereator 200lbs, and 50" wide it does pretty good it will pull out 2.5 to 3" core plugs..

 

[Dallas Burgher]

I use only core aeration. The spikes seem to me to just punch a hole in the ground while actually compacting the ground around the hole. Yes, it does let in air but it doesn't allow the vegetation in the hole like aeration.

Usually rent a Blue Bird aerator walk behind from the hardware store. It seems the holes are about two inches deep.

 

[poncho62]

I have a tow behind spike aerator.......It seems to work OK.........I know they say cores are better, but this thing was $40 at a garage sale......

 

[Rubiconmike]

Where i live there is alott of brown clay.
It rains here all year round. Very little snow.
Drainage is a big problem for me. Standing water and all.
Aeration is what i'm looking at to help with this and the Moss.
whould spreading sand on my lawn help to breake up the clay
as well as plug type Areation?