Probably an odd question. In some of the areas that I recently planted soybeans with my Tar River NT drill I see a really healthy thin line of grass growing along slice. Got me to wondering if an empty NT drill slicing at 1.5-2" depth would kind of accomplish the same thing as a lawn aerator? I've got a pretty big flat piece of ground near my front yard that I've been grooming to be a soccer field for the kids.
NT drill for aerator?
- Thread starter breddick
- Start date
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I think this may be apples and oranges. I think the purpose of a lawn aerator is that after years, turf grasses create a thick blanket. I would speculate that your observation of the no-till drill in a soybean field is something different. The opener is slicing through the soil the drill is dropping a seed, and then the closer is pushing soil back on the seed. If there is grass seed in the field laying on the ground, some of it is likely falling into the trench before it is closed. Grass seed between the rows just sits on the surface and has less favorable conditions for germination.
I think aeration on sports fields or lawns is done after they have been in place for a long time and it is hard to get fertilizer into them.
If your are just talking about a non-competition grade field for the kids to play, consider this. Fescue is not really compatible with wildlife. Folks seeing deer eating grass are usually seeing deer eating forbs not the fescue. Years ago, lawns were a mix of fescue and clover. This was a good combination. The clover fixed N into the soil that the fescue used. It did not require the high fertilization that a monoculture of fescue does. Lawn product companies could not find a herbicide that would kill noxious weeds without killing the clover, so they went on an advertising campaign saying "you don't want clover in your yard. It attracts bees and your children will get stung". That eventually lead to the monocultures of fescue we have today.
Fescue is rugged and will stand up to a lot of abuse once established which is one reason they use it on sports fields. I'd consider mixing a low growing perennial cover with your fescue and just keep the field mowed to remove most broadleaf weeds. You won't have to worry about aeration for many years. This may not be acceptable for a regulation field, but would work well for a practice field for the kids.
Thanks,
Jack
I think aeration on sports fields or lawns is done after they have been in place for a long time and it is hard to get fertilizer into them.
If your are just talking about a non-competition grade field for the kids to play, consider this. Fescue is not really compatible with wildlife. Folks seeing deer eating grass are usually seeing deer eating forbs not the fescue. Years ago, lawns were a mix of fescue and clover. This was a good combination. The clover fixed N into the soil that the fescue used. It did not require the high fertilization that a monoculture of fescue does. Lawn product companies could not find a herbicide that would kill noxious weeds without killing the clover, so they went on an advertising campaign saying "you don't want clover in your yard. It attracts bees and your children will get stung". That eventually lead to the monocultures of fescue we have today.
Fescue is rugged and will stand up to a lot of abuse once established which is one reason they use it on sports fields. I'd consider mixing a low growing perennial cover with your fescue and just keep the field mowed to remove most broadleaf weeds. You won't have to worry about aeration for many years. This may not be acceptable for a regulation field, but would work well for a practice field for the kids.
Thanks,
Jack
Thanks Jack! Makes sense regarding the surface seed finding their way into the grooves. I did have some heavy rain after planting that would have "floated" some seed in the grooves I think.
This is definitely a pure rec field. But I have been working on it quite hard. Sprayed twice with 24D and MSMA it's wiped out everything expect the Bermuda which is extremely happy with the 3 heavy fertilizer applications. Just yesterday I had a big load of sand dumped and spread out over the field. It had some rough areas (for foot / running traffic) and I am optimistic the sand will help with that.
This is definitely a pure rec field. But I have been working on it quite hard. Sprayed twice with 24D and MSMA it's wiped out everything expect the Bermuda which is extremely happy with the 3 heavy fertilizer applications. Just yesterday I had a big load of sand dumped and spread out over the field. It had some rough areas (for foot / running traffic) and I am optimistic the sand will help with that.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
Lawn aeration serves a few different purposes. It's primary purpose is that it relieves soil compaction, by allowing air and gas exchange into the aerated zone. Contrary to popular belief, it has minimal impact on thatch reduction. It is sometimes used for soil prep prior to a seeding, but this also has minimal impact on aeration.
There are a few different methods of turf aeration. One uses solid tines, and one uses hollow tines. The hollow tines are more effective at relieving compaction because they affect more of the soil's surface area. The solid tines can have a very short term benefit to soil compaction, and are really only ever used on golf course putting greens to limit the amount of surface disruption. No forms of aeration involve slicing the soil like a no-till drill does. The drill is likely not slicing deep enough, not affecting a large enough soil surface area, and the weight of the drill and tractor themselves are likely outweighing the benefit you hope to achieve.
The grasses germinating inside the rows are probably just weed seeds in the soil weed seed bank.
There are a few different methods of turf aeration. One uses solid tines, and one uses hollow tines. The hollow tines are more effective at relieving compaction because they affect more of the soil's surface area. The solid tines can have a very short term benefit to soil compaction, and are really only ever used on golf course putting greens to limit the amount of surface disruption. No forms of aeration involve slicing the soil like a no-till drill does. The drill is likely not slicing deep enough, not affecting a large enough soil surface area, and the weight of the drill and tractor themselves are likely outweighing the benefit you hope to achieve.
The grasses germinating inside the rows are probably just weed seeds in the soil weed seed bank.
