what implement to lightly loosen soil..

[mike paulson]

Hey guys my lawn has gotten pretty bad over the years with dead spots and compacted soil, I was planning a major over seed on about 3 acres and would like to know what I could purchase at a reasonable price to lightly loosen up my soil without destroying what I already have. I'm running a Kubota B2620 and don't really want to turn or till the soil but do want to do more than just drag chainlink on it????
I have used an airator in the past but they just don't seem to do enough.

 

[85Hokie]

Hey guys my lawn has gotten pretty bad over the hears with dead spots and compacted soil, I was planning a major over seed on about 3 acres and would like to know what I could purchase at a reasonable price to lightly loosen up my soil without destroying what I already have. I'm running a Kubota B2620 and don't really want to turn or till the soil but do Want to do more than just drag chainlink on it????
I have used an airator in the past but they just don't seem to do enough.

To do what you want to do will require a cutting vertical slices in the ground, the sad part is that you will never find an implement that will bolt up to the rear of you tractor to do such. I have built several airators and they have worked very well! Of course you could place water in them and make them weight 500 lbs too.

we use this type of machine on our athletic fields, not sure if you could rent one or ......

http://www.1stproducts.com/

it drives spikes in the ground and shakes the spike as it goes in the ground, no plugs kick out either. Run it , seed as you run and then run again if needed.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Harley rake.
Its a soil conditioner. Can be set to just touch surface and pulverize everything in its path.
Watched it on a bobcat smoothing out a ball field in spring, was very fast and took off all the lumps and filled the holes. Ready for seed or grass will just come back.

 

[bmblank]

I would think a plug aerator would do nice. you can pull the plugs, then go over it with a chain harrow to break up the pulled plugs and distribute the dirt and cover the holes. at a good course they'll collect and compost the plugs and fill the holes with sand. the sand helps with drainage and helps keep it from getting too compacted again.

Sent from my XT1254 using Forum Fiend v1.3.2.

 

[ShaunRH]

A standard lawn tractor aerator and a rake would do:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200356625_200356625

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200513183_200513183

If you want to rip and strip at the same time, add this at the end of the train...

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200641648_200641648

 

[Russell King]

There is an implement called a subsoil plow. See link:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/countylinereg;-sub-soiler

It does not turn the soil over, just "slits and lifts" it and allows moisture and air into the soil. If the area is clear of underground utilities and is not too rocky that I what I would suggest.

look up "permaculture keyline plow" or "permaculture subsoiler"

 

[mike paulson]

Thanks fellas for some great ideas....