Turf compaction and grass damage over the winter months needs to be alleviated to keep the turf healthy. Aeration helps create healthier turf and reduces maintenance requirements through improved air exchange between soil and atmosphere, better water intake, improved fertilizer intake and use, and reduced water runoff and puddling. All of these benefits create a stronger grass root structure while reducing soil compaction.
The all-wheel-drive Ventrac 4520 multi-purpose, all-terrain compact tractor has two attachments specifically designed to help with aeration on any terrain. It is certified for slopes of up to 30 degrees and is capable of handling various turf conditions allowing aeration in areas previously inaccessible with other aeration tools.
The EB480 Aerator, with its working width of 1.22 metres, offers the perfect tools to address your turf aeration. No matter what treatment your turf requires, coring, slicing, or fracturing, the EB480 can be easily configured to suit your requirements. The tines are replaced either individually or by quickly changing the entire mounting heads. This gives the EB480 both versatility and longevity to best accommodate your aeration needs.
Open spoon and slitter tines on the EB480 Aerator create a hole without bringing a core to the surface, saving the extra step of cleanup. They deliver penetration of the soil with minimal disruption to the surface, yet allows for benefits to the health of the turf. Core tines will extract cores to allow for more drainage opportunity. This method allows fertilizers, water and nutrients to be incorporated quickly into the soil.
The EA600 Aera-vator is designed to vibrate and loosen the soil beneath the grass without destroying the turf. It creates a hole without bringing a core to the surface, leaving the turf ready for use immediately following aeration.
With a working width of 1.52 metres and a depth of 70 mm, the vibrating heads create six holes every 300 mm (66 holes per square metre) with the hole size regulated by the drive speed. The slower the forward speed of the Ventrac tractor unit, the larger the hole.
The tines can be replaced individually or by quickly changing the entire mounting heads, providing the versatility required for efficient operation. The Aera-vator is built with the Ventrac Mount System, allowing for easy attachment changes, and comes with a standard jack stand for easy mounting. With the optional Gandy Seeder, you can save time by reseeding while aerating, increasing the odds of germination for a thicker and healthier sward.
Commenting on a ‘real-world’ application, Peter Turski, Horticultural Team Leader at The National Trust’s Waddesdon Manor says, “The Aera-vator and overseeder attachment for the Ventrac is an excellent piece of equipment. We have some heavy footfall across the estate especially at our annual events. We are one of the National Trust’s most visited properties with over 460,000 visitors, which means that the more formal grass areas around the ornamental core of the gardens can become very compacted.
“The main benefit of the Aera-vator is that it simplifies the whole operation in one pass significantly reducing the time taken to a fraction of what it used to. No soil plugs are generated, so no collection required, and the over seeding attachment works in synchronicity with the aerating implement by dropping seed directly into the fractured surface of the sward assisting good contact with the soil.”