Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like this:
http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...op/product.htm
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm
not heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve
stone). However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every
five minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and
sandy, but then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one
of these.

Please can someone recommend me a hollow tine aerator that actually works.

Thanks in advance.

--
IanP

"Ian Prideaux" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like this:
http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...op/product.htm
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm not
heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve stone).
However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every five
minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and sandy, but
then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one of these.

Please can someone recommend me a hollow tine aerator that actually works.

Thanks in advance.

--
IanP

Having chavved away with a similar piece of kit on similar clay, I have
decided that a fork waggled about is much better - produces consistent holes
depending on the consistency of waggle, if you know what I mean :-)
Hollow tines are a snare and a delusion on clay. I say this having sharpened
them, wd40'd them jumped on them, shoved them in slowly etc etc -
fundamentally useless. You always discover this some time after you've
bought the da*n things.
Chris S

Having chavved away with a similar piece of kit on similar clay, I have
decided that a fork waggled about is much better - produces consistent
holes depending on the consistency of waggle, if you know what I mean :-)


I did a lot of waggling like this at the last house but found that the holes
soon cloed up, in the end I spent many hours waggling and then filling the
holes with very dry sand so that it poured) after 5 years the grass had
very little moss or any standing water after heavy rain....or cracks in very
dry weather ....

Unfortunately I have to start all over again ......

"Ian Prideaux" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like this:
http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...op/product.htm
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm not
heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve stone).
However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every five
minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and sandy, but
then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one of these.

Appreciated that your area is full of clay and you found out the hard way
the only long term solution is to dig off the top 12-18" and install proper
drainage and new soil.
Reseeding or turfing then is required.
At the same time it's easy to re landscape as well providing a more
interesting shape to the lawn etc.

"Ian Prideaux" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like this:
http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...op/product.htm
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm not
heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve stone).
However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every five
minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and sandy, but
then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one of these.

Please can someone recommend me a hollow tine aerator that actually works.

Thanks in advance.

--
IanP

Go to your local bowls or golf club and ask if they will hollow tine your
lawn for u we do this regularly for locals and charge around £70 per lawn

On Sep 11, 7:16 pm, Ian Prideaux wrote:
Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like this:http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...1100119/refere...
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm
not heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve
stone). However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every

They do. The commercially available designs are weak and tinny and
clog up instantly. And if you were heavy enough to drive one into
solid clay you would find that it bends far too easily. I once had a 5
prong one. It wouldn't touch my soil without breaking.

five minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and
sandy, but then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one
of these.

Please can someone recommend me a hollow tine aerator that actually works.

To have one that works and doesn't clog requires a sharp innner
cutting edge and a slightly wider bore pipe behind it to allow the
soil plug to move freely. Then the soil cylinder that is cut doesn't
stick to the sides of the pipe.

If you ask a local blacksmith to make one they can put a small piece
of sharp stainless steel pipe inside a marginally wider diameter mild
steel pipe and then weld on a foot plate and handle. This will work
but isn't cheap. And because of the expense it is probably best to
settle for a pogo stick version with a single tube blade.

Regards,
Martin Brown

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Sep 11, 7:16 pm, Ian Prideaux wrote:
Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like
this:http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...1100119/refere...
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm
not heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve
stone). However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every

They do. The commercially available designs are weak and tinny and
clog up instantly. And if you were heavy enough to drive one into
solid clay you would find that it bends far too easily. I once had a 5
prong one. It wouldn't touch my soil without breaking.

five minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and
sandy, but then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one
of these.

Please can someone recommend me a hollow tine aerator that actually
works.

To have one that works and doesn't clog requires a sharp innner
cutting edge and a slightly wider bore pipe behind it to allow the
soil plug to move freely. Then the soil cylinder that is cut doesn't
stick to the sides of the pipe.

If you ask a local blacksmith to make one they can put a small piece
of sharp stainless steel pipe inside a marginally wider diameter mild
steel pipe and then weld on a foot plate and handle. This will work
but isn't cheap. And because of the expense it is probably best to
settle for a pogo stick version with a single tube blade.

Regards,
Martin Brown
I use the fork and waddle it around, keeps the beer belly down.

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 19:22:41 +0100, "Chris S"
wrote:


"Ian Prideaux" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like this:
http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...op/product.htm
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm not
heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve stone).
However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every five
minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and sandy, but
then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one of these.

Please can someone recommend me a hollow tine aerator that actually works.

Thanks in advance.

--
IanP

Having chavved away with a similar piece of kit on similar clay, I have
decided that a fork waggled about is much better - produces consistent holes
depending on the consistency of waggle, if you know what I mean :-)
Hollow tines are a snare and a delusion on clay. I say this having sharpened
them, wd40'd them jumped on them, shoved them in slowly etc etc -
fundamentally useless. You always discover this some time after you've
bought the da*n things.

Agreed. They one I bought was quite useless. Blocked up after two or
three insertions. Did all the things you did! Eventually gave up and
used a fork!


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Sep 11, 7:16 pm, Ian Prideaux wrote:
Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like
this:http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...1100119/refere...
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm
not heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve
stone). However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every

They do. The commercially available designs are weak and tinny and
clog up instantly. And if you were heavy enough to drive one into
solid clay you would find that it bends far too easily. I once had a 5
prong one. It wouldn't touch my soil without breaking.

five minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and
sandy, but then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one
of these.

Please can someone recommend me a hollow tine aerator that actually
works.

To have one that works and doesn't clog requires a sharp innner
cutting edge and a slightly wider bore pipe behind it to allow the
soil plug to move freely. Then the soil cylinder that is cut doesn't
stick to the sides of the pipe.

If you ask a local blacksmith to make one they can put a small piece
of sharp stainless steel pipe inside a marginally wider diameter mild
steel pipe and then weld on a foot plate and handle. This will work
but isn't cheap. And because of the expense it is probably best to
settle for a pogo stick version with a single tube blade.

Regards,
Local blacksmith u r having a bubble mate

On Sep 12, 7:49 am, "R" wrote:
"Ian Prideaux" wrote in message

...

Hi All,

This is driving me spare.
My lawn is very compacted, and the earth is full of clay.
I've got one like this:
http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...1100119/refere...
and it's useless. First I had to cut off two of the tines, because I'm not
heavy enough to push all five into the ground (I only weigh twelve stone).
However, the major problem is that it keeps clogging up every five
minutes. I'm sure that it would be fine if my soil was dry and sandy, but
then, if my soil was dry and sandy, then I wouldn't need one of these.

Appreciated that your area is full of clay and you found out the hard way
the only long term solution is to dig off the top 12-18" and install proper
drainage and new soil.

...or if drainage isn't too bad, just a few inches of loam or whatever
on the top will make a big improvement. ..but while you're at it you
may as well dig over the top foot or so (with a digger)