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Did a search on aerating and read most of the posts but didn't find everything I need to know. I would like to add aerating as an additional service for the fall. Several questions:
1. What is the risk of tearing up someone's property with an aerator? (shallow cables like television, telephone, homemade power running to storage building type stuff, SPRINKLER heads???. etc.)
2. If I were to buy one (I have an acre myself, so I know it'd be used even if my customers don't go for it), should I go with a walk - behind model or something like a LESCO pull-behind model? I have a JD 757 ZTR but it has no hitch and I wouldn't use it if it did, an ATV (which I know how to operate without digging up the grass (learned this technique in my younger days by riding it on my Dad's lawn (oops!, learned that one real fast!)), and a JD rear-engine riding mower. In other words, no big tractor! I'm not interested in the Wal-Mart special; commercial grade aerators only please. And if you can remember the price of any model suggested, that'd be great too. Some of the lawns are soft enough and some you can't even dig with a shovel without using it as a jack-hammer.
3. Once customer decides to have me aerate, what do I tell them regarding how to prepare, in addition to watering that morning or day before, to ensure the best results. One post that I found mentioned that they drop off a bunch of flags with the customer to have them mark their sprinkler heads. Any other advise like this???
Thanks in advance!
1. What is the risk of tearing up someone's property with an aerator? (shallow cables like television, telephone, homemade power running to storage building type stuff, SPRINKLER heads???. etc.)
2. If I were to buy one (I have an acre myself, so I know it'd be used even if my customers don't go for it), should I go with a walk - behind model or something like a LESCO pull-behind model? I have a JD 757 ZTR but it has no hitch and I wouldn't use it if it did, an ATV (which I know how to operate without digging up the grass (learned this technique in my younger days by riding it on my Dad's lawn (oops!, learned that one real fast!)), and a JD rear-engine riding mower. In other words, no big tractor! I'm not interested in the Wal-Mart special; commercial grade aerators only please. And if you can remember the price of any model suggested, that'd be great too. Some of the lawns are soft enough and some you can't even dig with a shovel without using it as a jack-hammer.
3. Once customer decides to have me aerate, what do I tell them regarding how to prepare, in addition to watering that morning or day before, to ensure the best results. One post that I found mentioned that they drop off a bunch of flags with the customer to have them mark their sprinkler heads. Any other advise like this???
Thanks in advance!