Best 3m aerator?

[GTB]

Browns, Ritchie and Opico available locally. Any thing else I should look at? Decided not to go for a roller type as they're simply too heavy for our terrain and also way over budget.

 

[M-J-G]

On earlier Ritchie machines the blade was only fixed to a single flange and often went slack and guttered the bolt holes, but they all seem to be doubled flanged now.

Apart from obvious build quality, the important part is how well blades are located and fixed.

Watch out for blade cost! I'm not sure if it varies much, but last time I fitted blades to a Ritchie, it worked out at over £1/ac in metal.

 

[exmoor dave]

No experience..... but a Carre prairial if there's other ground damage that needs leveling/ harrowing at the same time as slitting?

 

[neilo]

No experience..... but a Carre prairial if there's other ground damage that needs leveling/ harrowing at the same time as slitting?

I had one. The slitting blades do next to nothing tbh, other than score lines on the surface of wet soil. If it’s reasonably dry, I doubt they’d even do that.
It is an extremely well built machine, but I suspect the roller type that was beyond the op’s budget would be cheaper than a Carre.

 

[GTB]

I had one. The slitting blades do next to nothing tbh, other than score lines on the surface of wet soil. If it’s reasonably dry, I doubt they’d even do that.
It is an extremely well built machine, but I suspect the roller type that was beyond the op’s budget would be cheaper than a Carre.

Did you have an airator or a carre?

 

[neilo]

Did you have an airator or a carre?

I had a 4.5m Carre Prairial (sold now). I don’t have an aerator and i’m Not convinced they do any more than the routine chain harrowing and rolling that used to be considered essential.

 

[exmoor dave]

I had one. The slitting blades do next to nothing tbh, other than score lines on the surface of wet soil. If it’s reasonably dry, I doubt they’d even do that.
It is an extremely well built machine, but I suspect the roller type that was beyond the op’s budget would be cheaper than a Carre.

Oh that's disappointing

Looked a good idea for our type of thin stoney soil, tried a normal aerator many years ago and no amount of weight would keep it in the ground without breaking loads of shear bolts on the tines.

Have since come to the conclusion thou that there's probably not much call for a slitter here anyway

 

[Yale]

Browns, Ritchie and Opico available locally. Any thing else I should look at? Decided not to go for a roller type as they're simply too heavy for our terrain and also way over budget.

Someone will hire you one.

That way you can try,see the results ( if any ) then buy one.

 

[GTB]

Someone will hire you one.

That way you can try,see the results ( if any ) then buy one.

Getting a grant so need one bought ASAP. A friend has one and he wasn't convinced it was doing much so started doing half of every field. He reckons there's no problem telling which half has been done by the following year. He did say the ground needs to be pretty dry for it to work well and he had to add a fair bit of weight to it when conditions were dry too. This was on a sheep only farm btw. He reckons sheep cap the surface very hard over time.

 

[Yale]

Getting a grant so need one bought ASAP. A friend has one and he wasn't convinced it was doing much so started doing half of every field. He reckons there's no problem telling which half has been done by the following year. He did say the ground needs to be pretty dry for it to work well and he had to add a fair bit of weight to it when conditions were dry too. This was on a sheep only farm btw. He reckons sheep cap the surface very hard over time.

If so,best have a look at the machines or the spec and go for the one which is engineered the best,especially bearing and shaft thicknesses and sizes.

 

[GTB]

Oh that's disappointing

Looked a good idea for our type of thin stoney soil, tried a normal aerator many years ago and no amount of weight would keep it in the ground without breaking loads of shear bolts on the tines.

Have since come to the conclusion thou that there's probably not much call for a slitter here anyway

We have a couple of blocks of improved hill which seem to dry out like concrete when it's dry but saturated with water when wet. This is where I think it will do well?

 

[ratchet spanner]

I had one. The slitting blades do next to nothing tbh, other than score lines on the surface of wet soil. If it’s reasonably dry, I doubt they’d even do that.
It is an extremely well built machine, but I suspect the roller type that was beyond the op’s budget would be cheaper than a Carre.

I agree. Slitter did nothing . Now have earth grassland subsoiler. Has transformed compacted grassland

 

[GTB]

If so,best have a look at the machines or the spec and go for the one which is engineered the best,especially bearing and shaft thicknesses and sizes.

Opico is heaviest and has most blades, Ritchie has a solid shaft and Browns a hollow shaft, less blades and lightest by far.
I suspect the opico is a bit more money though...

 

[GTB]

I agree. Slitter did nothing . Now have earth grassland subsoiler. Has transformed compacted grassland

How does it work in stony ground?

 

[Yale]

How does it work in stony ground?

Ours will flick stones out so I was a bit dubious when I did some silage fields however they didn’t really come out enough to bother the mower.

If you have a lot of stones it will be hard on the aerator.

@GTB ,sorry yes,I see you mean subsoiler......

 

[exmoor dave]

We have a couple of blocks of improved hill which seem to dry out like concrete when it's dry but saturated with water when wet. This is where I think it will do well?

Just taken on 80 ac like that (not improved hill thou)

40 ac is clay, haven't dung any holes but given the history probably a plough plan present.

The rest is lovely red soil either side of a small river...... but has a horrific plough pan 6 " down.

Think I've convinced the landlords to subsoil the red soil fields. .....clay fields are off the agenda at the moment as they have other plans

 

[simon-0116]

We have a straight set of discs for slitting on purpose made frame. Only goes in about 3". On thin limestone. But on horse / sheep you could see last year were used.

 

[ratchet spanner]

How does it work in stony ground?

Yes it does bring up stones. No harm to machine as it has break back legs

 

[hally]

I can never see the logic of just letting the water down another few inches surely if it’s panned would a grassland subsoiler, where you can let water down to drains, not be a better idea?
There have been a few bought around here but don’t see them much in action tbh, have always meant to borrow/hire one to have a go but weather conditions haven’t allowed the last couple of years.

 

[Dog Bowl]

what about timing with a grassland subsoiler? Is it purely a spring job or could you do it in autumn? I’m asking as I’ve some wet land that takes an age to dry in spring - if I subsoiled in autumn would that aid drainage or am I barking up wrong tree with that theory?