Aerating / Dethaching attachment STHL Yard-boss Yay or Nay?

[Hard-Body lawn & garden]

Hey guys!

So I want to start getting in on this aerating action but I am a one man team as of now with my pickup truck.

I'm assuming that the rental aerators from Home Depot are quite heavy and can't be hoisted from a pickup? I don't have a trailer right now.

I do however have a STHL Yard-boss which I use for tilling gardens and stuff, works great!

Does anyone have experience with the aerator / dethatching attachments?

I would be using it for my house and clients houses, not mansion size houses but regular 2000 square foot homes.

Do you think it would be effective?

Also, is de-thatching required if a lawn is already being aerated?

Thanks team!

[Just for Cuts]

Hey guys!

So I want to start getting in on this aerating action but I am a one man team as of now with my pickup truck.

I'm assuming that the rental aerators from Home Depot are quite heavy and can't be hoisted from a pickup? I don't have a trailer right now.

They aren't that heavy, slightly heavier than a self propelled push mower. I've rented Bluebirds before, not heavy at all.

I do however have a STHL Yard-boss which I use for tilling gardens and stuff, works great!

Does anyone have experience with the aerator / dethatching attachments?

I would be using it for my house and clients houses, not mansion size houses but regular 2000 square foot homes.

Do you think it would be effective?

Don't waste your money on those things. Watch videos on them. They do nothing but make a mess and on most you can't adjust the depth of the tines. Another alternative is an electric dethatcher. They actually work quite well, you just have to give them a break now and then or the motor overheats.

Also, is de-thatching required if a lawn is already being aerated?

Yes, they are two different things.

[Hard-Body lawn & garden]

Awesome,

Thank you for your input.

For cool season grasses, what do you recommend for an aeration / de-thatching schedule?

[biglee]

Awesome,

Thank you for your input.

For cool season grasses, what do you recommend for an aeration / de-thatching schedule?

You understand the liability's in aeration correct. You can mess a lawn up quick.

[Steve]

You understand the liability's in aeration correct. You can mess a lawn up quick.

What are some of the negative side effects that can happen from aerating a lawn? What things does the original poster need to be aware of?

[Hard-Body lawn & garden]

Yeah, what should I be aware of besides sprinkler heads and irrigation systems.

[Chilehead]

The positive aspects of aerating a lawn far outweigh the negative ones. If you only have a pickup truck, you can purchase a ramp that attaches to your hitch to hold/transport the aerator. IMHO, Plugr makes the best aerators.

[Just for Cuts]

The positive aspects of aerating a lawn far outweigh the negative ones. If you only have a pickup truck, you can purchase a ramp that attaches to your hitch to hold/transport the aerator. IMHO, Plugr makes the best aerators.

That's what I was trying to figure out - how can aerating possibly have a negative effect lol

[biglee]

That's what I was trying to figure out - how can aerating possibly have a negative effect lol

In most grass types here in FL aeration can cause turf to develop a shallow root system and feel spongy when walked upon. When this happens the turf can become impossible to maintain at healthy mowing heights thus leaving turf more susceptible to pest and fungus. Most turf grasses need to be detached every 2-3 years, with the exceptions of Bermuda and common types that require proper aeration. Golf courses etc.

Aeration is not as good for a lawn as one may think, rather than aerate why not power rake or verti cut followed up with a over seeding? Remember every time you aerate you remove soil and nutrients, then top dress with sand or peat (if you are doing it right) I have learned over the years that this will alter the ph of the soil and cause "thinning". Also removing the thatch layer in any turf can cause "summer stress" and receding bed lines. When you remove thatch you remove a protective layer that holds in moisture. aeration/thatching will also promote weed growth in turf.

There is more I just don't have time right now.
LOL! ? Really

[biglee]

To every pro there is a big con. the cons outweigh the pros in my book. I am not saying aeration is not necessary once every 5 or so years, but when you do it do it right. I see tons of lawns damaged by aeration. My advise 1 time every 5 or so years.

[Hard-Body lawn & garden]

Thank you for your input, I will consider this as I continue to provide Spring lawn clean-up's !

[Steve]

In most grass types here in FL aeration can cause turf to develop a shallow root system and feel spongy when walked upon.

Is this because water can get to the surface area roots a lot quicker due to the holes the aeration makes? Then with easy access to that water, the grass has no need to grow deeper looking for water?

[biglee]

Is this because water can get to the surface area roots a lot quicker due to the holes the aeration makes? Then with easy access to that water, the grass has no need to grow deeper looking for water?

In certain turf yes.
In St. Augustine and all other turf grasses that feed off of runners it is even more simple than that. It is just a separation of the turf from the soil.

[Chilehead]

In certain turf yes.
In St. Augustine and all other turf grasses that feed off of runners it is even more simple than that. It is just a separation of the turf from the soil.

Truth be told, aeration has less to do with improving the dirt and more to do with improving the soil, which in turn can make the growing environment for turf roots improve. In GA, we have a clay-based soil that absolutely needs aerated once a year, more if it sees more traffic (i.e. sports fields). As the temperatures warm up, the heat causes the clay to shrink, thus binding the roots of the turf, and thus weakening it.
In FL, you have a sand-based soil where aerating it annually can in fact cause it to get swampy, especially considering the shallow water table throughout the state. Half an inch of thatch or less is actually beneficial for all types of turf, but go over half an inch and you're looking at various lawn diseases during the summer months. Soils in FL can actually use the mulched clippings more than clay or loam-based soils due to the inherent high inorganic content level found in them.
I have customers here in Atlanta that have St. Augustine, and have had to do collect clippings every time I mow to prevent thatch accumulation in the summer because it WILL lead to lawn diseases in the summer-again, because of our soil type.

[biglee]

Truth be told, aeration has less to do with improving the dirt and more to do with improving the soil, which in turn can make the growing environment for turf roots improve. In GA, we have a clay-based soil that absolutely needs aerated once a year, more if it sees more traffic (i.e. sports fields). As the temperatures warm up, the heat causes the clay to shrink, thus binding the roots of the turf, and thus weakening it.
In FL, you have a sand-based soil where aerating it annually can in fact cause it to get swampy, especially considering the shallow water table throughout the state. Half an inch of thatch or less is actually beneficial for all types of turf, but go over half an inch and you're looking at various lawn diseases during the summer months. Soils in FL can actually use the mulched clippings more than clay or loam-based soils due to the inherent high inorganic content level found in them.
I have customers here in Atlanta that have St. Augustine, and have had to do collect clippings every time I mow to prevent thatch accumulation in the summer because it WILL lead to lawn diseases in the summer-again, because of our soil type.

We also have clay here in Fl, even worse than the clay is our hard pan soil.
I disagree with you completely. As I disagree with the UF website...LOL!

Florida/Georgia no matter....Aeration is not needed every year. All it is supposed to do is loosen up soil and let a little air in that is it. And that is exactly what happens when the clay shrinks. Instead of aerate just water.