Dethatcher and spreader vs slit seeder? Classen v. Bluebird?
timil
17 years ago
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subywu
17 years agotrouper
17 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (36)Here is what I am thinking for August slit seeding. SNEAK! Since I'm building an automated controller for the sprinkler valve, I'm thinking of setting the watering to run for 2-3 mins every hour from 10am-6pm or even 1 min every 30 mins interval? This way, watering is much shorter which has a smaller risk of being seen by police. While it would work, it would depend on the size of the ticket. I told them that I have a timer on my sprinkler and they still refused to allow me to water everyday. I don't see any difference. LOL. Quite the opposite. Timered drip watering in the gardens, anyway, equals a much more efficient use of water. Five minutes of watering daily is enough unless the temperature is over ninety. I used to set the sprinkler on it for 30 minutes at a shot every three to four days (moving it six times). Overall, I use less than a quarter the water and do a better job. On the grass, one hour of 5 GPM watering per zone (five hours) equals half an inch of water (a touch more), or 1,500 gallons. Two sprinklers used to take me two evenings, seven hours total, higher flow (about 7 GPM or so) for 2,800 gallons and poorer coverage....See MoreLawn is toast - slit seeder?
Comments (4)"This lawn was never very healthy to begin with..." That can be a sign of poor soil. Save yourself some headache and time and get a soil test. Logan Labs in ohio does a comprehensive test for $20--well worth the money. You can post the results here and someone can advise you if you need to amend your soil to help produce a healthy lawn with clover. A true slitseeder has fixed blades, a separate set of discs, and metered tubes for dispencing seed. They are self propelled. They are expensive machines and very seldom available for rental--I've never seen one for rent in my area. An alternative, and what many rental places call a slit seeder is actually a verticutter with a drop spreader attatched (Ryan Renothin, Billygoat and Bluebird are common rental models). It has fixed blades to produce slits (vs flail blades that are used in dethatchers). They are commonly available for rent. They are almost never self propelled, but some newer models are. I've used the Renothin and Billygoat with very good germination results--much better than when I've just broadcast, rolled and topdressed, but rather than use the drop spreader, I broadcast the seed separately over the yard and then ran the machine over it in two passes at a 45 degree angle to one another. Easy? Over a flat, loamy soil, yes. If the soil is hard or the yard is on hills, it takes some work, like alternating between pushing a 200# non propelled lawnmower and trying to hold back a tiller on hard soil....See MoreSlit seeder advice
Comments (19)First to worst Mattaway. The discs and separate tubes will do the best job of getting the seed in to the soil at the proper depth Then rear hopper areator type slit seeder. Then broadcasting. The thing is that any of the above can give fine results depending on conditions and care/skill of the person doing it. I've planted grass probably twenty different times. I've never planted lawn grass with one but have "drilled" in a few thousand acres of wheat/oats, etc with the equivalent of a Mattaway. The main thing is how much vegetation you have on the surface and what kind of condition the soil is in. Its not really rocket science. If there is too much grass or veg, you need a something mechanical to help get the seed in contact with the soil. I've used a plug aerator with good results. A rake (and sweat) to goo results. I've used the tine type dethatcher/aerator with a rear hopper. To help with that unity I cut and bagged the grass. Two or three directions. Then ran the dethatcher/slit seeder without seeds at deepest setting three or four directions then put in seed, raised it some and put out the seed (2 or three passes). Where the soil is bare or nearly so and the soil is soft (not compacted and crusted) I've just used a broadcast spreader. I did that a few days ago on a couple of areas that needed strengthening. Where the soil was hard I added a little compost. In another area I put out dirt to fill in a low spot and so just tamped the seed into contact with the soil and disturbed it a little shuffling my shoes over it. Then, if you keep it watered, you will get good results unless mother nature really treats you bad. I've never not gotten adequate results, usually better. As mentioned above, the most consistent results came from the rear hopper Bluebird used as stated....See MoreI have the option to rent a Mataway slit seeder
Comments (11)Parafly, I rented the Mataway last year to overseed my 8,000 square foot lawn, and I will tell you that it absolutely whooped my butt. I'm 6'1", about 190 pounds and consider myself to be in pretty good shape. It is self-propelled, but that's only when you're going in straight lines. If you're going to have a bunch of turns, good luck. At every turn you have to turn the seed control off, raise the reels, turn down the throttle, and then lug the thing around to get ready for your next pass. Plus, the seed tubes on mine continually got plugged up and hence created some serious corn-rows in my lawn, even though I made two passes at 45 degrees. I plan on doing another overseed this fall, mainly because of my bad experience with the Mataway. There is a machine here at the Home Depot's in Louisville, KY for rent called the Turf Revitalizer. This overseeder was actually developed here in Louisville, so I was able to go to their plant and demo it. This thing weighs about half as much (literally) as the Mataway and is significantly easier to maneuver on turns. I don't know if these are readily available yet in the rest of the country, but it's what I'll be using this year. In terms of being able to get the Mataway in an SUV or van, I seriously doubt it. Even two people could not lift this thing out of the back of an SUV. You'll need either a trailer or a pickup with a ramp off the back. Good luck to ya!...See Moresubywu
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