What gadgets are available for aerating lawns, maybe someone has a novel
idea for making one up.

I have seen one from Wolf Garten which consists of two tubes on a bar, costs
about £25.00, it could take forever to do a lawn with this and it does not
seem worth it to me.

At B&Q you can get one with 4 tubes and costs £16!

"Dermuid" wrote in message
news
What gadgets are available for aerating lawns, maybe someone has a novel
idea for making one up.

I have seen one from Wolf Garten which consists of two tubes on a bar,
costs
about £25.00, it could take forever to do a lawn with this and it does not
seem worth it to me.

'Dermuid',

I gave away a lawn spiker recently. I had used it on just a few
occasions during the last twenty five years or so and found it to be
ineffective.

I am a great believer in using a garden fork. Insert its tines to a
depth of about six to nine inches, prise the turf slightly and continue
in that manner. Brush gritty compost into the holes which you have
created and all will be well.

I wish you success.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.




"Dermuid" wrote in message
news
What gadgets are available for aerating lawns, maybe someone has a
novel
idea for making one up.

I have seen one from Wolf Garten which consists of two tubes on a bar,
costs
about £25.00, it could take forever to do a lawn with this and it does
not
seem worth it to me.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Jim White" writes:
| Maybe against the grain for many members of this group, but I get
| "Greenthumb" to maintain my lawn.
| (It's quite big and used by the public... I have a restaurant and pub.)
| They bring their machine once a year and perform hollow tine aeration
for
| £30.

And, as such, is tax-deductible.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

As is almost everything! :-)
I don't know whether or not Dermuid's lawn is part of his business tho'.
I *do* know that in my garage (in the other corner) are several aerating
tools including flat spiked plates that you strap to your shoes and a couple
of variations on special tools and they're all bl...y hard work!
There are several of these franchised lawn care people around the country,
our local one is greenthumb and they come in, whistle round, take the money
and go. No fuss.

"Dermuid" wrote in message
news
What gadgets are available for aerating lawns, maybe someone has a novel
idea for making one up.

I have seen one from Wolf Garten which consists of two tubes on a bar,
costs
about £25.00, it could take forever to do a lawn with this and it does not
seem worth it to me.

__________
Many years ago I aerated a small portion of our large lawn for a
number of consecutive years ~~ The untreated area turned out to be identical
and with slightly fewer weeds.
I have never bothered since. In fairness, none of the lawn gets heavy
use. Heavy duty grass might be different.
Brian.

"Jim White" wrote in message

As is almost everything! :-)
I don't know whether or not Dermuid's lawn is part of his business tho'.
I *do* know that in my garage (in the other corner) are several aerating
tools including flat spiked plates that you strap to your shoes and a
couple
of variations on special tools and they're all bl...y hard work!
There are several of these franchised lawn care people around the country,
our local one is greenthumb and they come in, whistle round, take the
money
and go. No fuss.



It is in a way, I am paid to maintain several lawns and being new to this I
am learning as I go along - its not as easy as it looks to maintain a lawn
in top quality condition, so much for "all you have got to do is mow the
lawns" LOL, cut them too fine and you ruin them, cut them long and they
don't grow so well, tackling weeds, moss, bare and yellow patches, its a
real nightmare but I am getting the hang of it.......at last, I have come up
with a whole range of excuses, poor drainage, badly laid turf, its in a
shaded area, that will be an ecumenical matter.

"jeg" .. wrote in message
t...
At B&Q you can get one with 4 tubes and costs £16!

As I stood contemplating this gadget at B&Q a gentleman came up to me and
whispered "Rubbish - save your money - I bought one and it just chokes with
grass and muck without lifting out the tubefuls of muck as promised"

I guess the performance depends on the type of soil in your lawn but if the
lawn looks as though it needs aerated then it will be fairly heavy. I'd just
use a fork as suggested elsewhere.

Gil

It is in a way, I am paid to maintain several lawns and being new to this
I
am learning as I go along - its not as easy as it looks to maintain a lawn
in top quality condition, so much for "all you have got to do is mow the
lawns" LOL, cut them too fine and you ruin them, cut them long and they
don't grow so well, tackling weeds, moss, bare and yellow patches, its a
real nightmare but I am getting the hang of it.......at last, I have come
up
with a whole range of excuses, poor drainage, badly laid turf, its in a
shaded area, that will be an ecumenical matter.



Hmmm.Just a thought,
Have you considered taking a franchise from Greenthumb or one of the other
franchising companies?
There were a couple, I seem to recall, in a franchising article in the Daily
Telegraph earlier this or late last week.
I know nothing about it, but got the impression that training in lawn
maintenance etc. was all part of the package.
You would then also be able to buy all the right equipment.

My Greenthumb guy certainly seems to be doing well.

Jim

"Jim White" wrote in message
...

Hmmm.Just a thought,
Have you considered taking a franchise from Greenthumb or one of the other
franchising companies?
There were a couple, I seem to recall, in a franchising article in the
Daily
Telegraph earlier this or late last week.
I know nothing about it, but got the impression that training in lawn
maintenance etc. was all part of the package.
You would then also be able to buy all the right equipment.

My Greenthumb guy certainly seems to be doing well.

Jim




Sounds good, although I have got all my own kit bar a rotavator and aerator
it would be interesting to see what they are offering, i will try a
search for them on the web.

Thanks Jim.

On 8/6/04 11:40 pm, in article
, "Dermuid"
wrote:

What gadgets are available for aerating lawns, maybe someone has a novel
idea for making one up.

I have seen one from Wolf Garten which consists of two tubes on a bar, costs
about £25.00, it could take forever to do a lawn with this and it does not
seem worth it to me.


One way and another, mainly another - I have only just seen this.
Golf shoes or a friend who is a golfer and has the same size feet as yours.

--

Sacha
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 8/6/04 11:40 pm, in article
, "Dermuid"
wrote:

What gadgets are available for aerating lawns, maybe someone has a novel
idea for making one up.

I have seen one from Wolf Garten which consists of two tubes on a bar,
costs
about £25.00, it could take forever to do a lawn with this and it does
not
seem worth it to me.


One way and another, mainly another - I have only just seen this.
Golf shoes or a friend who is a golfer and has the same size feet as
yours.

--

Sacha
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)

I saw one thing in the innovations catalogue: Some giant sandals (2 foot by
1 foot) with loads of spikes on. Don't know if they worked OK, since
innovations usually has useless and pointless inventions in it.

Bob

In message , Bob Smith
writes

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 8/6/04 11:40 pm, in article
, "Dermuid"
wrote:

What gadgets are available for aerating lawns, maybe someone has a novel
idea for making one up.

I have seen one from Wolf Garten which consists of two tubes on a bar,
costs
about £25.00, it could take forever to do a lawn with this and it does
not
seem worth it to me.

Mine has about 4 tubes on a crude steel frame. Nominally a hollow tined
fork. It isn't particularly well designed and clogs frequently on my
clay soil. Hammering rebar through the holes to unblock them slows
progress immensely. You could make one welded from angle iron and steel
tube.

You also need very heavy footwear to drive the thing in without breaking
the sole of the shoe. At least on my heavy clay soil.

I saw one thing in the innovations catalogue: Some giant sandals (2 foot by
1 foot) with loads of spikes on. Don't know if they worked OK, since
innovations usually has useless and pointless inventions in it.

Forget anything in the innovations catalogue. It might work nicely in
theory on a soft sandy beach but against heavy clay where you really
need some help with drainage it will never cut it.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

Sacha wrote in message
k...
On 8/6/04 11:40 pm, in article
, "Dermuid"
wrote:

What gadgets are available for aerating lawns, maybe someone has a novel
idea for making one up.

I have seen one from Wolf Garten which consists of two tubes on a bar,
costs
about £25.00, it could take forever to do a lawn with this and it does
not
seem worth it to me.
Whatever you consider must have tubes or such to remove a soil plug. Any
spike will just further compress the soil. Depending on the size of your
area using a 1 inch sharpened pipe, rubber mallet and reamer might be an
expensive way to go.