Equipment and Technology Focus: Turf Aeration

The following is a round-up of turf aeration equipment and services.

Billy Goat AET60 towable aerator 

At up to four acres an hour, the AET60 provides a 6-inch by 7-inch aeration pattern up to 4 inches deep. The unit offers flexible aeration widths at 36-, 48- or 60-inch aerations with a simple flip up or down of the aerator’s wings. Weighing in at 440 pounds, for deep hard soil aeration, the unit will also accept sandbags for extra weight. Swiveling tine assemblies offer smooth maneuverability when used with a 3-point hitch. Mounts to a standard tow bar or category 1, 3-point hitch.

DryJect LLC, franchise-based aeration services

DryJect is the pioneer in the injection/aeration service. High-pressure water penetrates the turf rootzone, and wet or dry amendments including sand/peat mixtures, inorganic soil amendments and more are injected into the aeration holes. Key benefits are speed, labor savings and increased profitability for sports fields. Aerate, amend and back-fill the holes on your field(s) in one day with time to spare. Turf surfaces are playable immediately after completion.  

First Products Universal Aera-vator

The First Products Universal Aera-vator uses “patented” solid vibrating tines to fracture and loosen up the soil without tearing the established turf. That means no cores to clean up. This action helps improve the infiltration of water, air and nutrients. First Products’ swing hitch allows the user to turn while using. This unit can be used on any type of turfgrass. With six different optional shafts and seed box to increase its versatility, the Universal Aera-vator is must have piece of equipment.

John Deere Aerocore 2000

Offering a 77.5-inch coring swath, the Flexi-Link coring system on the John Deere Aerocore 2000 aerator ensures the tines stay perpendicular longer for a higher-quality hole. Additionally, the belt-driven design is quieter and doesn’t require lubrication, making it easier to maintain. A tractor-mounted system, the 2000 aerator allows the operator to work efficiently, pulling as many as 30 cores per a square foot depending on the ground speed of the tractor. The six-inch-diameter roller offers better ground clearance and reduces the potential for turf scuffing, and four tine holder size options provide a solution for any type of turf.

Redexim Verti-Drain 2519 

The Redexim Verti-Drain 2519 has quickly become the new benchmark for deep-tine aerators. Its speed, smoothness, and quiet operation are unmatched. Penetrating up to 10 inches deep, with a working width of just over 76 inches, and a fast forward operating speed, it can yield a productivity rate of over 94,000 square feet per hour. A large selection of tines for different applications and soil types are readily available, keeping your downtime to a minimum.

Ryan Renovaire

From golf course fairways and roughs to recreational fields and municipal properties, the economical and efficient Renovaire from Ryan is designed to aerate acres of undulating turf with its independently mounted tine wheels. Following terrain contours closely for precise aeration, the Renovaire attaches to any tractor capable of towing 1,600 pounds. The tines are made from austemper-hardened steel, and users can choose from coring tines, spooning tines, or slicing knives to get the job done right. Weight trays also hold up to 150 pounds each, so operators can aerate heavily compacted soil with more force. For increased productivity, it features six feet of aerating width and an operating speed of 4 mph, so it can aerate three acres in a single hour. 

Toro ProCore 648       

From the innovative wheels within the coring path to the large 48-inch aeration swath, there’s nothing ordinary about the Toro ProCore 648 aerator. The ProCore 648 has an operating weight of 1,590 pounds, and features an aeration depth of up to four inches. The unit is equipped with a 23-hp. Kohler gasoline engine, and can reach speeds of up to 3.5 mph. The ProCore 648 has a TrueCore ground-following system that maintains consistent coring depth. The design of the ProCore 648 puts the wheels in front of the aeration head so that you can make pass after pass without running over cores or freshly aerated turf. Consistently round holes are achieved by the elastomer RotaLink geometry that ensures tines remain vertical as they enter and exit the ground. The individually floating turf holders prevent turf lift when the tines exit the ground to maintain a true and level surface.

Turf Pride deep tine aerators

Turf Pride deep tine aerators are made in the USA, and the main frame is one-piece solid steel. The crank assembly is driven by one chain drive and three heavy-duty belts, dividing the drive torque with less stress to the connecting arm assemblies, resulting in longer life of the crank assembly. The crank assembly with perfectly timed offsets between each connecting arm assembly maintains balance without the need of counterweights. The patented spring-loaded tine assembly arms and the parallel linkage arms perfectly position the tines so they move down and back, producing maximum aerating action deep into the soil without disturbing the playing surface. Front and rear rollers are standard. Operating widths in two models are 54 and 70 inches. Options include Turf Pride’s core collector for core removal. 

Turfco XT10 stand-on aerator

Turfco introduced the new XT10, which replaces the TurnAer XT8. With its zero-turn agility, optional 60-pound seeder attachment and patent-pending Auto Depth Control tine-setting capacity, the XT10 packs a lot of punch. A 23-hp. engine gives it plenty of power for the job, with a top aerating speed of 7 mph and 30-inch aerating width – capable of covering two acres of turf per hour. The optional drop seeder attachment allows operators to increase productivity by up to 50 percent and double profit by doing both by seeding and aerating at the same time.

The XT10 enhancements include the following:

• Brawnier axles
• New semi-pneumatic front caster wheels
• Enhanced tine wheels
• Upgraded electronic foot-controlled tine switch
• Optimized the weight distribution.

The XT10 features drive chains located outside the aeration area so that soil and debris will not clog up the system; and the Auto Depth Control function adapts automatically to changing ground conditions.

Wiedenmann TerraSpike deep tine aerifiers

Wiedenmann has worked for decades to develop the technology to offer the fastest deep tine machines on the market with the TerraSpike XF (extra fast), TerraSpike XD (extra deep), and the TerraSpike GXi HD (heavy duty). The TwinDrive ribbed V-belt drive system allows for speeds up to 485 rpm with the use of any size tine in the Wiedenmann range. In addition, because of the continuous crankshaft, timing issues are never experienced. The TerraSpikes are user-friendly machines offering a variety of features such as the Quickset adjustment of the entry angle and of the depth, the VibraStop and PowerPack anti-vibration and absorption systems, the Quickfit tine mounting and extraction system, and the Advanced Tine Control system, as offered on the GXi HD. Turf retainers, safety guards, rear rollers, multi-tine holders, tight hole spacing, ballast weights, and windrows are a few of the other options available for the TerraSpike family of aerifiers.

Z Aerate 40 stand-on aerator from Z Turf Equipment

Capable of aerating more than 100,000 square feet each hour, the Z-Aerate 40 stand-on aerator from Z Turf Equipment features a 40-inch floating tine head with positive down pressure. This allows the operator to maneuver around obstacles during aeration. A thumb-controlled hydraulic lift system quickly raises the tine head for quick turnarounds. Patented locking front caster wheels increase hillside stability, and dual-pump hydraulic wheel motors deliver 8 mph maximum ground speed. The Z-Aerate 40 accepts accessories, available separately, including a 30-gallon spray system, 46-inch dethatch rake, and 36-inch slicer seeder. This multi-function versatility enables one operator to do more work, more quickly, making Z-Aerate 40 the perfect machine for professionals looking to maximize profitability.