Aerator / De-Thatching

[rsibill]

Questions:
In New Jersey---

I read the charges for areation (3 x lawn cut) - thank you -----
Do I remove the plugs from the lawn? That takes alot of time, or leave, that looks like sh-t and I would think it would upset customer.

Is this done JUST for very dense soil - then do I add seed?

Charge for De-thatching (attachment on my ferris)
Charge for De-thatching (machine)

Thank you again!
Bill

[Turfco Tim]

Leave the plugs. They break down in the thatch layer which will help to keep thatch under control.

[Vikings]

I've heard that some people recommend that the homeowner mulch it with a mower.

[rsibill]

Thank you - mulching w/mower sounds like a reasonable idea.

[Green Thumb Mowing Srvcs.]

Drag a small piece of chain link fence with a little bit of weight on it behind your equipment, or afterward. Breaks them up pretty good.

[rodfather]

You NEVER remove the plugs, that is valuable topsoil. They will dry and break up easily in the next couple of mowings.

You NEVER base or compare your aerating fees to your mowing fees. That is insane. Charge accordingly by the hour with a minimum stop fee of say $50 or $75. Many charge by the square feet with #'s ranging from 12 - 16 dollars per 1000 square feet of turf area.

Aerating is beneficial for EVERY type soil and seed.

Dethatching should be done on an hourly fee as well. Be ready for the amount of debris that will need to be taken away and removed off the turf area.

[rsibill]

thank you, very helpful. I appreciate your time!

Bill

[sildoc]

I base all of my aerations by the thousand sqft. 15-20 pending the amount of obsticals. I have a min of 45. average lot is 3000-4000 sqft.
For dethatching I have a 75 dollar min. I figure per thousand sqft there will be roughly 1 yard of debris removed. I figure this at 50 per thousand sq ft plus dump fee. I can usually aerate 2000 sqft per hour with cleanup. did 4 dethatchings yeasterday. let me tell you I am tired.

[LAWNMOWERMANHOME]

All your ideas are of good merit, but you all missed the deal, where is your mental head at. Love the work or get out. I have been aerating for 10 years and have found the key is aerate, fertilizer, water for 3-5 days moderately then you are good to go. Remember we are a service to the domain owners, know what you are doing for all sakes. I'm a Ca. man all my life and have great interest in the green world stay tuned for more. Lawnmowermanhome.com