Best 3m aerator?

[GTB]

@hally There's no doubt a subsoiler or swardlifter would work better in wetter ground that has no stones. We have a wet place where I'm sure it would do wonders. In stony ground with surface capping I'm hoping an airator will do the trick without disturbing the stones (there are millions of them here).

I wasn't convinced about airators either but like I said a friend who has one says he can tell where he's been with his. Subject to correct conditions obviously.

 

[hendrebc]

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?

Dig a hole.see what your dealing with first. If its not compacted or panned at all then subsoiling wouldnt help. It might just be a wet field. Or it might just he capped in that case a slitter would be as good as anything.

 

[GTB]

Should have added perhaps that most farms have different soil types and different compaction issues in different fields and that it's probably asking too much to want one machine to solve everything?

 

[Dog Bowl]

I have dug and found compaction at plough pan depth. I’m wondering whether an autumn swarslift would help dry ground and allow an earlier fertiliser application in spring and therefore potential higher yields and more opportunity to cut earlier...

 

[GTB]

I have dug and found compaction at plough pan depth. I’m wondering whether an autumn swarslift would help dry ground and allow an earlier fertiliser application in spring and therefore potential higher yields and more opportunity to cut earlier...

Only one way to find out.....

 

[hendrebc]

Should have added perhaps that most farms have different soil types and different compaction issues in different fields and that it's probably asking too much to want one machine to solve everything?

Im pretty sure we have a few fields that would benefit from a subsoiler and a few that would benefit from some sort of aerator/slitter. Havent dug any holes to check properly though. Cant see how one machine would be able to do both really. An aerator wont reach down to deep compacted soil and cant see how a subsoiler would do a great job of a cap if the legs are too far apart even running quite shallow. Maybe im not seeing rhe whole.picture there.
I dont know what the answer is really. Contractors are pretty unreliable and will probably only come when condiions are unsuitable and too wet for any harvesting work. I have a friend who would let me borrow or hire his watson roller type slitter and i might just buy a cheap single leg subsoiler to do patches were weve been feeding and odd fields as necessary when the conditions are suitable and not when a contractor can come. Or try my mole plough without the expander on seeing as i already have it. I cant see deep compaction being a big problem here with the machinery i have. Will see after i dig a few holes.

 

[GTB]

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.

Sounds like a good idea. I'm wondering if running a Simtech drill or similar 'empty' would do the same job?

 

[hendrebc]

Sounds like a good idea. I'm wondering if running a Simtech drill or similar 'empty' would do the same job?

I thought the same thing but it might be an expensive way to do it? Drill some chicory or red clover at the same time and that would help solve any deeper stuff with their tap roots too maybe?

 

[farmerdan7618]

Old man has a McConnell at home. Is good in situations where the cows have capped the top, and does make a difference. Always felt it did more good in the autumn before it got wet, as the ground would drain better. Take care in the spring as if it does get dry, the grass will burn up more easily. Would go with the machine you can easily get locally, really not much to break on them if used steadily. Need to go pretty slowly on stony ground so as not to bounce, and don't like corners.

 

[pgk]

Our heavy clay had plough plan when acquired, used Ritchie with cement bag ballast to put 4 inch holes, that summer was dry had huge cracks in ground but when rain came ground soaked up water a treat, will have another go this spring if it ever dries up.

 

[neilo]

Our heavy clay had plough plan when acquired, used Ritchie with cement bag ballast to put 4 inch holes, that summer was dry had huge cracks in ground but when rain came ground soaked up water a treat, will have another go this spring if it ever dries up.

I wonder if the cracks in heavy clay over a dry summer would go down further than 5”? I know they certainly did back home.

I don’t suppose @GTB gets to see that very often though.

 

[GTB]

I wonder if the cracks in heavy clay over a dry summer would go down further than 5”? I know they certainly did back home.

I don’t suppose @GTB gets to see that very often though.

I haven't seen a crack for years!

 

[Henarar]

I wonder if the cracks in heavy clay over a dry summer would go down further than 5”? I know they certainly did back home.

I don’t suppose @GTB gets to see that very often though.

natures subsoiling is best

 

[Henarar]

I haven't seen a crack for years!

overgrown ?

 

[GTB]

overgrown ?

 

[hillman]

Back on track ....

I've an aerway google them in my simple opinion they have the best blades ,as cast with a twist in them that give the ground a slight lift as they come out of it , my ground is stoney enough and the aerator dances along on top of them and hasn't damaged anything on the machine over the yrs , yes it will flick up flat stones if lying under the surface , not that much hassle to pick them up on the returning bout

That make is dearer but the best built and designed blades off them all , if you twist the rotor on an aerway your nearly cultivating the field

 

[GTB]

Back on track ....

I've an aerway google them in my simple opinion they have the best blades ,as cast with a twist in them that give the ground a slight lift as they come out of it , my ground is stoney enough and the aerator dances along on top of them and hasn't damaged anything on the machine over the yrs , yes it will flick up flat stones if lying under the surface , not that much hassle to pick them up on the returning bout

That make is dearer but the best built and designed blades off them all , if you twist the rotor on an aerway your nearly cultivating the field

Who sells them? Their website doesn't list any uk dealers?

 

[exmoor dave]

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.

What diameter are the disks?

And how wide are they spaced?

Cheers

 

[hillman]

Who sells them? Their website doesn't list any uk dealers?

http://www.farmec.ie/agriculture/aerway.html

These based over here are advertising them

 

[Karliboy]

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.

What scheam are you getting grant funding from out off interest as I’m looking at getting airator too.
Also has anyone looked/used at the portequip airator. Just seen a advert in FG for them.