spring aerating

[Evan528]

I HAVE NOTICED IN THE PAST SEVERAL days that alot of landscapers around have been aerating now and seeding. how can they be putting on a pre emergent (there not using tupersan..ithink that whats its called), that will not allow the seed to germinate. either thaey dont no thats the case or they dont care i guess. i do al my aerating and seeding in the fall. after i hot dry summer it is the best thing you can do for a lawn. the lawns fill in greaT and the new grass roots can strenthen and mature oveer the winter making it come up great in the spring and is more drounght tolerant. if you aerate and seed in the spring the hot dry summer wikk come and probly kill the new grass for good because the roots hadnt had that long to develope. why do people aerate in the spring instead of fall? i can understand if your not seeding but if your seeding its almost a waste of time.

[GroundKprs]

What you are seeding and where you are in the country will determine the success of your spring seeding. It is preferable to seed cool season grasses in the fall, but I find greater success in shady areas by early spring seeding.<p>If someone wants a quality lawn, but it's bare in spring, in our area I would seed with rye in spring, having all finished grade and edges set. Then would Roundup whole lawn on Aug 1-5, aerate when browning, and slit seed premium blue blend on Aug 10-15. Reasons: rye is always going to establish quickest, so landscape is stabilized early, but rye is a crummy long term groundcover. By seeding blue in Aug, it is germinated and growing by mid-Sept, it's prime growing time, and it gets a full life cycle before having to survive summer heat. Why not a rye-blue blend? Never saw a blend less than 40% rye; if your blend is more than 15% rye, the rye germinates so early that the amount of blue surviving 8 mo later is negligible.<p>You can seed any time of year. In our area mid-Aug seeding is best (easiest to maintain thru establishment), but if the ground is bare and the client will pay attention to care, you can successfully seed anytime during growing season. That success will be qualified by the choice of seed. Concern about pre-ems and spring seeding is not so bad now that effective post-em crabgrass control is available.<p>----------<br>Jim<br>North central Indiana<br>

[CLM1]

As for aerating, you can aerate anytime. The process just helps in relieving soil compaction, getting air down into the turf root system along with any fertilization. However, don't put down a pre-emergent and then aerate. If you do then you've just broken the barrier of your pre-emergent

[John Deere]

CLM1, could you explain to me what you mean by &quot;break the barrier&quot;. I've heard that before and am just not sure what that means.<br>Thanks!

[GroundKprs]

Several university studies 5-6 yrs ago showed that aeration has no negative effect on preemergent if done after pre-em application. The pre-em from the plugs is just dissolved back into soil surface. Have done it myself with no crabgrass breakthrough.<p>Once watered in, preemergents form a chemical barrier on and just below the soil surface. In most turf pre-ems, this barrier prevents root growth, so as soon as a weed seed germinates, it dies because it can't form roots. After pre-em is applied, if you disturb the soil surface dramatically, you can break this barrier, allowing weed seeds to survive. Aeration does not break the barrier.<p>----------<br>Jim<br>North central Indiana

[CLM1]

Thanks Jim. Where did you read or hear about that study? That's interesting.

[GroundKprs]

Sorry, CLM1, these studies were before web was in use, can't find any references real quick. Will call Purdue this week an get sources, and post in this thread. Were two or three studies with same results.<br><p>----------<br>Jim<br>North central Indiana

[Lazer]

GroundsKprs is correct. It used to be the school of thought to not aerate after pre-emergent application in the spring.<p>More recent information is that the effect of your pre-emergent is not harmed by spring aeration.<p>'course I still tell my customers it MAY be more safe in the fall. ('cause we're so darn busy in the spring!)

[GroundKprs]

Sorry CLM1, guys were not on campus this week. One answered my email from out of town, didn't have access to data, but he remembers: studies I mentioned were at IA and MI, southern studies done earlier. He did state that he would not suggest making it an annual practice to aerate after pre-em application, but on an occassional basis it won't hurt. <br>I can get the reports later when they return. Email me if you want them. Might be better for you to check with guys at NC State or NC A&T, whichever has the more extensive turf program, to get answers on southern turf.<p>----------<br>Jim<br>North central Indiana

[TPC]

does any one know a website where i can look at different aerators and prices-brands and which one do you like best,and what a good price is for one,and do you recomend one that you can walk behind or one that you can pull with a small tractor or ztr?thanks,Tim

[ZYAL8R]

whats better core or spike??<br>i need to get an aerator soon, any suggestions. i am thinking of a small pull behind type and hooking it up to my Turf Tiger. i am not going hog wild on the aeration service so i dont want to sink a lot of $$ into it. only have a few customers where the aerator will be used...<br>any ideas??<br>

[GroundKprs]

&quot;Equipment having solid tines or spikes should not be mistaken for aerating equipment. Aerators always remove a soil core whereas solid tine spikers do not. Spikers actually increase soil compaction as the movement of the soil to all sides by the penetration of the solid tine forces the soil into a denser mass.&quot;- from PA http://www.agronomy.psu.edu/Extension/Turf/Aeration.html<p>&quot;Practices such as slicing or spiking remove no soil and are not considered aerification.&quot;- from IN http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/pubs/ay8.htm <p>This may be a regional variance. I could not find any such reference in MO, TX, or AL coop ext sites; references to aerification did not single out spike or core processes. Perhaps southern soils are not adversely affected by spiking, but our soils are.<p>----------<br>Jim<br>North central Indiana

[slagerlawncare]

tpc..<br>i have a brinly 48' plug pull behind..nothing fancy but gets the job done.<br>http://www.brinly.com/lcp_set.html<br>also check this page out<br>http://www.yetmans.mb.ca/manufacturers.html<br>

[mattingly]

Hey there CML1,<br> You really shouldn't aerate lawns in there stress periods. Cool season shouldn't be done in summer and likewise warm season shouldn't be done in fall or spring. A UofK extension publication also said that tine aeration is worthless.<p>What kind of pre-M's are you guys using besides tupersan. What kind of broadleaf controls? Any of these granular?<p>----------<br>Integrated Landscape Solutions<br>Lexington, KY

[Evan528]

i use lescos pre emergent with demension...demesion is the best pre emergent around!

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Some good info in this thread, bringing it back to the to the year '03

[Andrew S]

Is there a walk behind coring/aerating machine on the market that also picks up the cores while it aerates for the residential market.

thanks

Andrew

[LAWNGODFATHER]

So....Why would you take away the small amount of top dressing you are adding to the lawn. Those cores are also benifitial.

Core aeration has more benifits other than putting holes in the ground.

Loosens compacted soil

Aerifies the lawn

Helps break down thatch layer

Alllows moisture and nuteints to penitrate

On n on n on....


Answer to your question....I don't think so, but I think there is a golf course peice but it's about $20k.

[GarPA]

Yo LGF......AMAZIN huh!! I was going to type a not so nice message...something to the effect of .....you should not be selling aeration if you do not know why the cores should remain on the turf....but I decided against doing that.....lol

[GroundKprs]

Fall aeration is great. The summer is over, the lawn is done, and who cares about those ugly plugs of dirt laying there.

But in the springtime, everyone is looking for things to start looking nice. And you're gonna make my lawn full of those turds!? For 2-4 weeks, longer if there isn't much rain?!?!

So if I'm doing a spring aeration, I will generally aerate before doing spring cleanup. Then as soon as plugs are dry, I will hit the lawn with gas powered flail rake. This effects good cleanup, and will break up 100% of the dry cores. Client may pay a little more for the cleanup, but in most cases the neater appearance is well worth it. Don't think a tine rake would break up cores as effectively.

Also, if I'm spring aerating, 99% of the time it is because of heavy thatch. The powered raking knocks the soil loose and generally leaves the plugs of thatch somewhat intact. Raking this debris up is the only way to physically remove thatch, without great stress on a lawn. And the soil is returned quicker to the thatch layer to aid in decomposition.

[Andrew S]

The reason or rather the need for me to remove cores from the lawn is that most of the lawns we cut are by cylinder mowers.

I reconize that is beneficial to let the cores break down ,however if I allow this it will cause my blades to be damaged and become blunt prematurely as the cores will not break down quick enough between cuts.

[GroundKprs]

Andrew, removal of the soil is generally not beneficial to the lawn. But it is beneficial to blades of a reel mower, LOL.

That is why breaking up the cores is the most beneficial. There used to be, probably still is, a machine to pick up the cores, grind them up, and filter them back onto the lawn. This was for golf application, because they have to mow with reels also.

Do you use powered raking there. Example at http://www.bluebirdintl.com/products/combers/p18.html . Click the link to left for "Lawn Comber blades" to see different blade arrangements. The flail is best for what you need. Fixed blades don't work for that, too far apart. And springs or tines don't give impact to break up cores.