LC/DBM provides landscape contractors with Educational, Imaginative and Practical information about their business, their employees, their machines and their projects.
Above, right: The CA2572 Aerators utilize replaceable case hardened closed spoons mounted on weighted rotating discs, and the spoons pull cores up to three inches in length from the soil profile every seven inches of forward travel. Pulled cores are deposited on the surface for subsequent drying, pulverization, or removal. In order to achieve maximum penetration, the CA2572 offers optional poly water tanks that fit in the top mounted weight trays. When filled with water these tanks provide significantly increased down pressure on the spoons. This aerator is offered by Land Pride.
Right, middle: The MultiSpread Model 320 top dresser has a struck-level capacity of 27 cubic feet and heaped capacity of 1.25 cubic yards. It's designed for sports turf managers to maintain athletic fields, schools, universities, and golf courses to spread grass clippings. It is offered by Earth & Turf.
Right, bottom: Aerating is vital to maintaining a healthy lawn. The size of the equipment the landscaper should use is a function of equipment cost verses man-hours saved verses time saved. The Turfsaw Rolling Aerator comes with two size options, 42 and 48 inches. One pass aerates big jobs like golf fairways and athletic fields quickly, according to the manufacturer. It is offered by Earth & Turf.
Slice Aerating To have sustainable turf under these high wear conditions, I have
all my clients slice aerating (instead of plug pulling) monthly to keep oxygen moving downward for root stimulation. The greatest value of slice aeration is that they can slice aerate in the morning and play immediately, as there are no plugs left behind to deflect the ball in ground sports. Normally most of my clients and attendees aerate once a year and
do the entire field in two directions. A 6-foot wide pull behind plug pulling aerator can plug about 3.5 acres per hour. When they knife aerate I have them only go in one direction be-
cause everywhere two knife cuts intersect to form an X, the soccer player sliding his shoe across the surface to take the ball away from an opponent will catch one of the corners and turn the sod up. As they play over these areas, they will continue to catch these corners and tear up the sod. I have them slice aerate only the wear areas monthly and do the entire field once annually. The wear areas are from outside
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