Aerating with Airknife/spade

[rfwoodvt]

Anyone using the plunge method of aeration with their airtool?

I tried it yesterday, just mucking around, and was please with the speed and depth. Only problem is the very large diameter hole left behind. I'm used to using a 2 inch auger which leaves a clean hole that doesn't require filling.

I've always prefered NOT filling in the voids because of the thaw/freeze fracturing that loosens the entire rootzone over the following seasons.

If you do bore, or radial trench with an air tool, how do you handle the resulting voids from a client safety and mowing perspective? Or, do you even worry?

 

[nuthin_special]

We use this method for vertical mulching but we fill with coarse, partially composted wood chips with a granular slow release fertilizer mixed in (just a bit). I think that filling the voids will give a better result, adding organic matter to the soil profile and a temporary nutrient boost. Wouldn't leaving the holes empty just cause them to collapse giving a shorter term aeration?

I much prefer it over drilling because it's faster and won't damage larger roots. The bigger hole is a benefit as you can add more OM.

One tip: make sure that the spade tip is tight and you check it regularly or it can come unscrewed and you can lose it in a hole. Can't detect aluminum to find which hole it's in. Airspade tips are $450. Just sayin. Not that this ever happened to us.

vince

 

[rfwoodvt]

Hey NS,

At first blush leaving the hole empty only to collaps does make one think the aeration effort was for nought.

However, if you think about it, as it collapses an even larger area of soil loosens up over a longer period of time. This actually creates an ongoing, longer lasting effect on the soil.

I do like the idea of adding fert to partial compost. How do you go about funneling the fill into the holes?

 

[nuthin_special]

It's not funnelling so much as shoving it in with a stick. We don't do enough of it to have developed a more efficient system. There was a thread a month or two back with some good ideas on flowing material into the hole.

I would think that without backfilling, soil will fill the hole but mostly it would erode from the top of the hole leaving a small depression at the surface instead of other voids within the soil profile. Warrants some experimentation i thinks.

vince

 

[rfwoodvt]

I do most of our aeration in the fall to take advantage of the upcoming freeze/thaw frost cycles. Since most of our aeration occurs in turf areas very little of the collaps orginates at the mouth of the hole.

Then again, we are accustomed to using the 2 inch auger.