"Leaf Spikes" Keep Lawn Aerator Going

"Leaf Spikes" Keep Lawn Aerator Going FARM HOME Miscellaneous 34-5-17 Lawn aeration used to be a frustrating chore for Don Pearson of Murfreesboro, Tenn. The problem was, his lawn aerator became completely dysfunctional when rolling over large leaves, especially wet leaves. The leaves would stick to the spikes, making them almost useless. "I had to stop all the time to remove the leaves, which really slowed things down," says Pearson. His solution was to attach a series of metal tines to the aerator's frame in order to knock the leaves off the drum. The tines are actually replacement tines for hay rakes, cut down to size with bolt cutters. He measured the distance between the aerator's frame and drum and cut the tines to leave a gap about 1/4 to 1/2 in. to prevent scraping the drum. The tines were then welded evenly between the spikes on the aerator's drum. "This idea works great and has saved me a lot of time and frustration. The aerator's spikes are able to operate at their maximum capacity, opening up air passages in the ground to help get water, air, and nutrients down to the root zone," says Pearson. "The tines can also be bolted to the aerator's frame by drilling holes in the frame first." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Don T. Pearson, 3441 Adams Rd., Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37129 (ph 615 890-1018; dtpearson@bellsouth.net).

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