As a Greenkeeper of 30 years myself I would suggest using the kick method you use will cause a lot of damage and pain to your feet, especially for anyone wearing soft soles shoes. If the ground is hard or the tool hits a stone in the ground this will not be good for your feet. I advise wearing stout boots/shoes and use the push down method with the foot to save long term injury.
Hi Happy Lawnsmen, A good tip when using the Swardman Areator is have a bucket of water with a touch of washing up liquid and regularly dip the Areator into the bucket makes it slip in and out with ease and much better on those poor feet. R.
I recently bought a cobra scarifier and aerator, very similar to yours. My lawn had never been done before to my knowledge and looked horrendous after scarification and aeration however 3 weeks later and following some overfeeding its the best its ever looked. Well worth the purchase
I do enjoy watching you videos. I hsd heavy clay soil in my lawn but have been using a garden auger drill bit on an electric drill for some years now. I drill the soil to a depth of around 6 inches and backfill the hole with compost. Lawn in now thriving. The hole that is produced is about 5 cm in diameter. I space the holes about 6 inches apart.
I've seen a few people do that too, can take some time especially on a bigger plot but if your going to chip away at it then fair enough and the compost will help add organic matter to the clay
Great tip on waiting for a rain/irrigation for hand aerating! It makes it so much easier in clay soil. One pro of having clay is that it retains the water a lot longer once it gets absorbed.
Yeah. I had watered the lawn the day before it was scheduled to rain and I'm glad i did because the water usually runs off in clay soil if it doesn't get some water on top.
The einhell blade you used was a scarifier. The one you removed claims to be aerator but is more like a power rake that cleans any loose material from surface of lawn.
Great video GLG, thanks for highlighting the Swardman. I have pretty grim clay based soil and had bought a couple of cheaper hollow aerators that were useless and a waste of money. I took delivery of the Swardman about 3 weeks ago. The tines more closely resemble those of the Machines you can hire(worn tines and expensive) or get as part of a complete lawncare program(where is the fun in that!)and it works! No more paying for someone else’s machine and I can now aerate the lawn when conditions are perfect and to tie in with lawn feeding etc. After use I spray it with WD40 and it gleams, I’m not sure whether to put it in the shed or display it in the lounge as a piece of sculpture 😊.Great piece of kit, certainly not cheap but overall well worth it. A game changer for me.
Hi Chris glad you enjoyed it! Its really a nice product and I agree there is a satisfaction about doing it yourself. Quite enjoyed using it, even though I was aching the next day its far better and smoother than any others I've used. The drainage has also improved on the lawn over the last month or so with all the rain which is nice!
Great video! I don't have money now to buy an aerator but I will try with the fork. I moved to the new build 3 months ago and the grass is OK but I if I look closely, there are many patches so I bought grass seeds and I am planning to use fork, then those grass seeds. I just hope lawn will look even after a month.
@@GardenLawncareGuy I like the look of the lawn mower attachment for doing the job but I don't think the new electric self propelled lawn mower I recently purchased allows for anything other than a single blade attachment.
Matt, My Swardman aerator arrived 2 weeks ago, I have used it on the larger patch of my lawn, as you said it is quite a work out but at the same time satisfying. I originally tried to order through your link but because it was out of stock I could not place my order, when I was notified it was available I ordered straight away but could not see anywhere to acknowledge your contribution, I wrote to Ryan informing that the purchase was a direct result of your recommendation and asking him to reward you under the terms of your agreement which he said he would do. I have a second lawn approx half the size which I scarified with an older version of a machine similar to yours with the depth set to just contact the soil, I over seeded and covered the seed with a thin layer of Jack's Magic compost so it will be interesting to see how the two methods compare.
I am no gardener and have always cut my lawns short seeing them more as a menace until last year when I came across some lawn care video's having given up my small business I had some time on my hands that I never had before I decided to give it a go, but not wanting to spend a fortune on my lawn I picked out some information of what I could do and got my lawns nice and green having succeeded getting compliments from neighbours and passers by about how nice they looked, all was good until I saw a video on hollow tine lawn aeration and how it helps to keep weeds at bay and helps with compaction, I didn't have many at the time only in a couple of spots in the back lawn but decided to give it a go now I have many weeds in both lawns and battling to get rid of them I am wishing I had never done it it's something I don't think I will ever do again in the future.
I have lots of thatch so I aerated lightly about 10 days ago. I have a much cheaper version of the Swardman and its already on its last legs. I think I'll have to upgrade at some point. You're going to be an expensive man to follow on here :) I've watched you for a while but I'm going to follow your steps and tips religiously from now on. Thanks for all the tips and advice, keep up the good work.
The swardman amazed me with how easy the tines went in definitely easier than my spear and jackson. I think I'll get a better one in the near future either the swardman you are demonstrating or the sneeboer lawn aerator. Nice to see the trusty bosch making an appearance 😊
I own a Kreitis tool. It's German manufactured locally around here and I just love it. See if they ship to UK if you like it. And like the guys said, you HAVE to make sure to have the penetration depth of the tool really moistened by either watering on your own or let a solid rainfall do the job. I wasn't close to a good watering result on my own compared to rain.
Nice video mate, I've recently subscribed and feel inspired to transform my lawn after enlarging it this summer by removing a large shed and thick hedge down one side. If theres one thing I wish I could change it would be that the back garden was south facing not north! I've learned a lot from you, cheers.
After using the hollow thine tool, is it necessary to remove all the soil plugs from the garden? How long does it take for the holes to cover up? I’ve used this hollow thine tool and find that my lawn does not look nice anymore. Should I be worried?
Thank you, very informative, straight to the point. I am debating on renting an aerator or buying something in my budget. Looks like the manual way works & fits the budget.
I had the same debate BUT I have heavy clay soil so I aerate spring *and* autumn… I originally reasoned that renting the aerator would cost less than buying one: the motorised ones are at least £300, and the rental fee is still lower than buying a (good quality) manual _rolling_ tiller/aerator or a (again, good quality) fork-style hollow tined tool. *BUT* since I’d be renting it twice a year, and my lawns aren’t that big, over a single year it would be around the same price as a good quality manual aerator (either roller-style or fork-style). I wouldn’t need to rent a motorised one again if I bought my own manual ones, so I decided to get both the roller and the fork styles 😂👌🏻 even though well-made manual aerators are initially quite an expensive investment, for me, after just one year they were “paid for” with the money I’d saved in rentals. I use the hollow tined “fork” twice a year (spring and autumn) for heavy duty aeration - I also live in Central Scotland so we get a lot of rain, I have heavy clay soil and a natural spring under part of my garden lol, so it needs a good air out. Then, I use the spiked roller whenever I feel like it’s needed (either after heavy rainfall or just before, if we know there’s a storm coming). It prevents - or treats - any standing water ☺️🙌🏻 So I say invest in both of those manual tools, unless you have huge lawns that would be too exhausting to do manually. The hollow fork aerators take some work and time, but it’s a thorough job and you don’t need to do it all the time. The roller style type is not hollow - they’re always solid spikes - but it works great for general maintenance and it’s very low impact/effort to use ☺️🙌🏻
Just search for "hollow tine aerator". They might also have them at your local farm store, hardware store, or green house. I see them at Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, etc. Any store that has a gardening department. I just have some random areas to touch up, so I use a 4-tine garden rake-- poke the holes, drop in seeds, push the dirt back over, and water. Works really well. Best from Indiana!
If only someone was able to produce a domestic aerator just like your domestic scarifier. The professional ones are very expensive to buy, and a pain to hire if you just want to sort a little home lawn out. Obviously the unit needs to have enough weight to penetrate the ground... but there must be a way!
It's called your hands 🤣 Seriously, I finished my reno on 200m² with a three tines device by hand. Breaking work into chunks, not all at once but bit by bit works fine. Yet some good Cardio 🙂
I bought a Mac Allister scarifier & combined Aerator from B&Q last week for £87.00. Not a bad bit of kit to be honest and did the job nicely . I’d recommend it 👍🏻
I was sceptical of the aerator but I have to say it looks like a pretty decent bit of kit 👍. A piece of advice as well, if someone was in need of a petrol aerator, but didn’t really feel like they could/ wanted to do it themselves, there are usually lawn companies in the local area who you can get to do it for you. That ‘aerator’ on the scarifier is brilliant with seeding, especially if you’re not using a top dressing. Massively helps with germination 😁
Yes will, the slots are great if you don't intend to topdress as it really helps improve seed to soil contact which is one of the top things to grt right.
So Top Dressing. I had to look it up as I'm a new homeowner with a yard that while not too bad requires some extra TLC. Ive researched a bit and watched some of these great videos. Learned about dethatching and aerating. So I've completed that and trying to decide if I should over seed before its gets hot. It seems we have a very healthy population of birds of all different species. How can I minimize them eating all my seeds. I understand aerating helps but will top dressing also help with this? Or will the birds be undeterred by the small layer of compost?
Hi There LawnGuy,Thanks to my daughters new dog my lawn is now looking pretty awful because of the dog urine.....never been a gardner and am now scratching my head as to how I can restore my lawn and keep on top of it with a dog around. Any tips would be much appreciated. Great video by the way.
Female or male dog? Iirc female dogs tend to prefer going in the same spots repeatedly so it’s even tougher on grass. Water dilute (hose) the pee spots after they go out. Or create a sectioned spot for peeing using gravel, sand or some other hard scape material (rubber mulch maybe? Not sure). Just a couple ideas since there was no reply, maybe others have some advice too.
With solid tine aeration on clay soil, it can work a lot better if you use it instead at a ~60 degree angle, and then "lever" the fork to literally lift the grass a little (and then put it down), creating fissures in the clay and breaking it up quite nicely. I've used it very successfully, although it's quite hard work. Basically like you show in your video, but instead of going down vertically and wiggling, you go in at a sharper angle and then press down on the handle
Good video GLG. My lawn is clay soil also (new build). I've got the Swardman aerator on order from Garden Imports. Just need it to arrive now to start my renovation!
Great! thank you. Yeh the ground will definitely have to be soft I imagine. I can't even got a fork in when it's dry. Thanks for getting back to me. Doesn't anyone in the uk make this particular type? I know Draper have one but not very good by all accounts.
Soooo, Ive never aerated before. I'm wondering what happens over time to all the holes you put in your yard? Do they eventually close up? If so, how long do they take to close up?
If only my lawn were that small! I can fit five of your houses and ten of your lawns on my front lawn; triple that on the side and 5x that in the back! Lol. It would take me years with the solid tine! :) Great video!
I also have a very clay based garden and I struggle to get a normal fork deep enough normally. I also have a screwfix scarifier that I use at least once a year. Do you use any soil improver like Gypsum to break down your clay? I do use your wetting agent, seaweed, and green machine products but interested on if you think any additional products or work is necessary for clay based lawns?
The thing to do with that manual core aerator is design it to have a “D” handle on the top, instead of that “T” handle (which would get in the way), then buy two of them, one for each foot. Then just walk around the yard, aerating with each step. You’ll be done at least twice as fast. In the US, Lowes sells a Corona brand, that has two tines and seems to have more room for your foot. Plus, they’re only $26.98 USD.
I have a compacted clay lawn and it's patchy. I plan to get rid of the grass and start again. Use hollow spike and put gypsum will be enough? Or dig out clay and put better soil? Maybe fill the holes with sand?
I have heavy clay soil. When I manually hollow tine in dry weather the tines won't peirce the surface... when I aerate after rain, the tines keep clogging up and it just spikes the ground. Will the Swardman resolve this problem? and if so, what are the best conditions to use it... When the lawn is dry or wet?....Thanks Steve
I have the same problem clay soil which needs to be moist to achieve proper penetration. I did not have much success in removing cores because after the first three or four insertions, the tines clogged and I had to start again. Very frustrating. I then switched to a De Wit bulb planter to remove (large) cores. This worked brilliantly, albeit that the cores are about 60mm in diameter. However the foot peg snapped off after about 25 cores and I am now back to square one - very frustrating. I might resort to auger drilling next.
I persevered with my swardman having initially found it extremely difficult to remove cores. Having spent a lot of time aerating 80 sq m of my lawn over a couple of days; it’s a great cardio workout ! .. especially if you are over 70. I learnt quite a lot: 1. If heavy clay, ensure that the soil is not dry; it needs to be moist to enable penetration. 2. Ensure that the tine bores are bright and shiny; any rust or dried clay has a significant effect on clogging to the extent that the tine becomes solidly blocked. I used a fine round file and wet and dry abrasive to polish. It’s surprising how much effect this has. 3. Unclog after about 10m run - you will learn how often you need to do this to keep producing cores. I used a 10mm bolt /old drill to do this then rinsed the tines in a bucket of water to clear / lubricate. 4. It is important not to stamp the aerator too far into the ground; don’t be too greedy. Pushing all the way down can ‘cap’ the end of the tine with a compressed, hard plug which turns it into a blunt-ended solid tine which forms a hydraulic lock in moist clay, thus making withdrawal a potentially disc-slipping manoeuvre. After a while you will learn the resistance at which you should stop pushing to avoid tip-capping. Pushing the handle back and forward to release the tines (and lift the soil above) eases extraction. 5. Get into a rhythm, and you will be surprised how much ground you can cover. 6. Stagger alternate rows so that all holes are more or less equidistant in triangle formation. 7. Ensure you clean after use, dry off and spray with wd40 to limit rust. 8. Drink lots of water during the task and whatever takes your fancy afterwards; you will certainly have earned a tipple or two!
Very nice video! I've got a question though I just bought similar electric aerator, my question is should I use both of attachments included one after the other or do it with a week difference?
@@GardenLawncareGuy Thanks for the reply :) Laid new turf recently and a few spots haven't taken too well or have been ruined by the dog! Planning this followed by overseeding for autumn. Great vids.
Love the videos. Definitely helped me more enthusiastic for lawn care. Do you know if the Swardman hollow tune aerator will be back in stock? Really could do with that one in particular
Really well presented Thank you. I have clay in France so buying the hollow tine model. Only three acres to do!! I also have a petrol 'slicer'. Does one leave the plugs on the lawn?
So what do you do with the plugs after you have hollow core aerated? Collect them up or leave them to break down on the surface and sink back into the surface? Thanks for really nice practical advice 🙂
I like the eletric method,less clear up and alot less effort involved as the electric scarifier/airater does the work for you. Looks tidier aswell and more suttle in terms of look.big holes in your lawn all over is gunna be very noticeable on any decent size lawn. Just depends what you prefer really everyone's different. GREAT VID DUDE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. ;-)
I have a issue that the ground under the lawn is very dense (hard) so that I am not able to hammer the aerator. Do you have an idea what to do with it?
I enjoy watching your videos very informative, this video on aeration useful. I have squirrels digging holes in my lawn and ruins the lawn look, how would one eradicate this ?
I'm basically putting holes in the backyard, filling a decent portion of it with scoria, for the purpose of improving water drainage (variation this video v=EGkUlK5fboo). When it rains heavily- I notice when I walk over the area, its splashy. What do you think of the plan- waste of time / any suggestions?
I bought a Kent & Stowe hollow tine aerator and it’s total rubbish as it bent the very first time I used it! It looked well made and was expensive but that one you’re using looks like a nice piece of kit.
I have one of those cheaper 4 tube aerators that block up all too easy. I was going to bin it but before I do I'm going to cut the front part of the tubes like the one in the video and give it a go.
I have re-turfed an area 10sq m. Removed all of the old turf, rotovated, levelled, topsoil to a depth of 100mm and then turfed. All of this was done last July. I wouldn’t think it needs the full works, but do you think that I should maybe manually aerate it with a fork?
my lawn is 15,000 square ft and is pretty hard because of the orange clay......I would need a machine to aerate my lawn.....any other way would take me WAY too long....nice video
Love the video. I have similar new build clay based lawn, looks similar size as well. Have hollow tined it using a manual tool. What do you do with the plugs? Rake them up and add then to garden base or something different? What fertiliser/ lawn sand do you recommend after manual aeration like this?
Thanks for the video. I moved into a new build property last year and didn't want the developers putting turf down (a good choice after seeing other property gardens on the estate) so had a guy do a better job. Problem is it is quite clogged with thatch and it is clay based soil. So much so that even now at the end of June I'm only needing to mow once a fortnight as the grass doesn't seem to want to grow. Had it fed but think it needs a scarify and aeration. I'll probably go for Holllow tine and a scarifier similar to yours but I'm wondering what month am I best doing these and should it be done multiple times a year?
@@GardenLawncareGuy I live in Taylor Wimpey house in ormskirk, finding your videos useful, can you top dress lawn around now? Would that get good results?
Cultural controls are raking, and leaving your grass a little longer to reduce the light moss gets along with fertiliser. Healthy grass will compete well against moss. To kill moss you need to use iron sulphate, this can be in a all in one product or a link to soluable iron sulphate is in the description, spray it and it will turn black for raking out. You will need need to seed those areas to promote grass, if under a tree a shady mix could be good
Maybe I missed it but you never mentioned WHEN (spring? Summer? Fall?) or how often to aerate. I know it depends on the amount traffic / people walking on the grass but it would be helpful it get a general idea.
Aerator : gardenlawncareguy.com/shop/lawncare-products/hollow-core-aerator/
Where would I get the hollow aerator at what department store
@@davidcarr7228 Swardman Aerator - bit.ly/3iJ8SYb
As a Greenkeeper of 30 years myself I would suggest using the kick method you use will cause a lot of damage and pain to your feet, especially for anyone wearing soft soles shoes. If the ground is hard or the tool hits a stone in the ground this will not be good for your feet. I advise wearing stout boots/shoes and use the push down method with the foot to save long term injury.
I agree and I would add that watering heavily before aerating makes the job much easier.
Hi Happy Lawnsmen, A good tip when using the Swardman Areator is have a bucket of water with a touch of washing up liquid and regularly dip the Areator into the bucket makes it slip in and out with ease and much better on those poor feet. R.
I just did this this morning, using the Swardman hollow tine Aerator tool. It's a great workout, loved every moment of the process ☺️
💪 nice job mate
I recently bought a cobra scarifier and aerator, very similar to yours. My lawn had never been done before to my knowledge and looked horrendous after scarification and aeration however 3 weeks later and following some overfeeding its the best its ever looked. Well worth the purchase
Nice one Joe, it does bounce back quickly a healthy lawn cared for well
Yeah a lot better than I was expecting. I used slow release fertiliser called Moowy from Amazon that seemed to really help
I used 1 inch drill bit and drilled holes in my lawn. I sat on a small stool and managed it quick nicely.
Nice idea
But what about excess soil? - I'd be curious how much is moved up to the surface by the drill and how easy it is to collect & dispose of.
I use the hollow tine and sharpening the pipes with a mill file really improves the flow
Nice idea Bob!
I do enjoy watching you videos. I hsd heavy clay soil in my lawn but have been using a garden auger drill bit on an electric drill for some years now. I drill the soil to a depth of around 6 inches and backfill the hole with compost. Lawn in now thriving. The hole that is produced is about 5 cm in diameter. I space the holes about 6 inches apart.
I've seen a few people do that too, can take some time especially on a bigger plot but if your going to chip away at it then fair enough and the compost will help add organic matter to the clay
Great tip on waiting for a rain/irrigation for hand aerating! It makes it so much easier in clay soil. One pro of having clay is that it retains the water a lot longer once it gets absorbed.
Yeah. I had watered the lawn the day before it was scheduled to rain and I'm glad i did because the water usually runs off in clay soil if it doesn't get some water on top.
Thanks for the idea ! I did with hollow pipes, but I didn't make a side slit of the milking outlet of the Earth, now I saw what my mistake was.
The einhell blade you used was a scarifier. The one you removed claims to be aerator but is more like a power rake that cleans any loose material from surface of lawn.
Used mine today, a 5 prong aerator, good job to let the air in. £25 in nursery in Dundonald.
Nice one 👍
I also have a lot of clay with a hotter southside backyard. I appreciate the tips to dealing with them.
Great video GLG, thanks for highlighting the Swardman. I have pretty grim clay based soil and had bought a couple of cheaper hollow aerators that were useless and a waste of money. I took delivery of the Swardman about 3 weeks ago. The tines more closely resemble those of the Machines you can hire(worn tines and expensive) or get as part of a complete lawncare program(where is the fun in that!)and it works! No more paying for someone else’s machine and I can now aerate the lawn when conditions are perfect and to tie in with lawn feeding etc. After use I spray it with WD40 and it gleams, I’m not sure whether to put it in the shed or display it in the lounge as a piece of sculpture 😊.Great piece of kit, certainly not cheap but overall well worth it. A game changer for me.
Hi Chris glad you enjoyed it! Its really a nice product and I agree there is a satisfaction about doing it yourself. Quite enjoyed using it, even though I was aching the next day its far better and smoother than any others I've used. The drainage has also improved on the lawn over the last month or so with all the rain which is nice!
Great video! I don't have money now to buy an aerator but I will try with the fork. I moved to the new build 3 months ago and the grass is OK but I if I look closely, there are many patches so I bought grass seeds and I am planning to use fork, then those grass seeds. I just hope lawn will look even after a month.
Good luck 👍
Last year i used a drill with a big bit in it to aerate my lawn, back breaking but it worked.
That must’ve been time consuming. How long did it take you?🤔
@@flyguy4211 A few hours over a couple of days, it was lockdown i had nothing else to do.
I plan to drill our lawn too👍 If the neighbours see me though, they'll likely think that I've lost the plot😆😆
The hollow tine aerator looks Ideal. I've got one of the cheaper UK versions, and it constantly blocks.
I weirdly enjoyed doing it! My ground was perfect too as we had rain for a week before but it worked a treat
@@GardenLawncareGuy did you find the solid tine method labour intensive due to the clean up afterwards of all the clay plugs? I have clay as well.
@@GardenLawncareGuy I like the look of the lawn mower attachment for doing the job but I don't think the new electric self propelled lawn mower I recently purchased allows for anything other than a single blade attachment.
No it was very easy toclea the plugs, the brush worked the best and it was the easiest bit of the process
Draper by any chance?
Yard work is great I enjoy it
Me too 👍
I can’t believe Ringo does his own lawn.
Just ordered one, looking forward to using it 👍👍
Awesome dave 👍
Awaiting delivery of the swardman! 👍🏼👌🏼
Cool 😎
Hi. Can you explain your method of cutting your lawn? Do you do a double pass in one direction?
Yes I'll do a video on that!
Matt, My Swardman aerator arrived 2 weeks ago, I have used it on the larger patch of my lawn, as you said it is quite a work out but at the same time satisfying. I originally tried to order through your link but because it was out of stock I could not place my order, when I was notified it was available I ordered straight away but could not see anywhere to acknowledge your contribution, I wrote to Ryan informing that the purchase was a direct result of your recommendation and asking him to reward you under the terms of your agreement which he said he would do. I have a second lawn approx half the size which I scarified with an older version of a machine similar to yours with the depth set to just contact the soil, I over seeded and covered the seed with a thin layer of Jack's Magic compost so it will be interesting to see how the two methods compare.
Great, interested to hear from that. Yes thank you, Ryan did give me credit for that and commended me how loyal the TeamGLG viewers are 💪
I am no gardener and have always cut my lawns short seeing them more as a menace until last year when I came across some lawn care video's having given up my small business I had some time on my hands that I never had before I decided to give it a go, but not wanting to spend a fortune on my lawn I picked out some information of what I could do and got my lawns nice and green having succeeded getting compliments from neighbours and passers by about how nice they looked, all was good until I saw a video on hollow tine lawn aeration and how it helps to keep weeds at bay and helps with compaction, I didn't have many at the time only in a couple of spots in the back lawn but decided to give it a go now I have many weeds in both lawns and battling to get rid of them I am wishing I had never done it it's something I don't think I will ever do again in the future.
I have lots of thatch so I aerated lightly about 10 days ago. I have a much cheaper version of the Swardman and its already on its last legs. I think I'll have to upgrade at some point.
You're going to be an expensive man to follow on here :) I've watched you for a while but I'm going to follow your steps and tips religiously from now on.
Thanks for all the tips and advice, keep up the good work.
We have a medium garden to do in the next couple of weeks . Very mossy. So scarify,aration is definitely on the cards. 😁
Good luck John!
The swardman amazed me with how easy the tines went in definitely easier than my spear and jackson. I think I'll get a better one in the near future either the swardman you are demonstrating or the sneeboer lawn aerator. Nice to see the trusty bosch making an appearance 😊
Yeah i have to say I loved the swardman. Being an engineer this is a nice piece of engineering!
I own a Kreitis tool. It's German manufactured locally around here and I just love it. See if they ship to UK if you like it.
And like the guys said, you HAVE to make sure to have the penetration depth of the tool really moistened by either watering on your own or let a solid rainfall do the job. I wasn't close to a good watering result on my own compared to rain.
You said make one? Got it!
Nice video mate, I've recently subscribed and feel inspired to transform my lawn after enlarging it this summer by removing a large shed and thick hedge down one side. If theres one thing I wish I could change it would be that the back garden was south facing not north! I've learned a lot from you, cheers.
Welcome aboard, keep us updated on the progress anjo
After using the hollow thine tool, is it necessary to remove all the soil plugs from the garden? How long does it take for the holes to cover up? I’ve used this hollow thine tool and find that my lawn does not look nice anymore. Should I be worried?
I like to remove mine and either leave it or backfill with dressing and normally done before seeding to thicken everything it up
Thank you for a good lesson
No probs amour
I didn't know manual lawn aeration was an option. The Swardman hollow tine tool would be best for my heavy clay soil.
It's a nice tool!
Thank you, very informative, straight to the point. I am debating on renting an aerator or buying something in my budget. Looks like the manual way works & fits the budget.
I had the same debate BUT I have heavy clay soil so I aerate spring *and* autumn… I originally reasoned that renting the aerator would cost less than buying one: the motorised ones are at least £300, and the rental fee is still lower than buying a (good quality) manual _rolling_ tiller/aerator or a (again, good quality) fork-style hollow tined tool. *BUT* since I’d be renting it twice a year, and my lawns aren’t that big, over a single year it would be around the same price as a good quality manual aerator (either roller-style or fork-style). I wouldn’t need to rent a motorised one again if I bought my own manual ones, so I decided to get both the roller and the fork styles 😂👌🏻 even though well-made manual aerators are initially quite an expensive investment, for me, after just one year they were “paid for” with the money I’d saved in rentals.
I use the hollow tined “fork” twice a year (spring and autumn) for heavy duty aeration - I also live in Central Scotland so we get a lot of rain, I have heavy clay soil and a natural spring under part of my garden lol, so it needs a good air out. Then, I use the spiked roller whenever I feel like it’s needed (either after heavy rainfall or just before, if we know there’s a storm coming). It prevents - or treats - any standing water ☺️🙌🏻
So I say invest in both of those manual tools, unless you have huge lawns that would be too exhausting to do manually. The hollow fork aerators take some work and time, but it’s a thorough job and you don’t need to do it all the time. The roller style type is not hollow - they’re always solid spikes - but it works great for general maintenance and it’s very low impact/effort to use ☺️🙌🏻
Good kick man.
👍
Brilliant video exactly what I needed 👍🏼
Thanks for subscribing finley!!
What do you do with the plugs on the ground? Just leave them? Thanks
I collect mine as my soil is old meadow land and want to avoid pulling up weed seeds
Do u need to fill the holes with anything to promote better drainage @@GardenLawncareGuy
What grass type do you have planted?
Its rye and fescue, gardenlawncareguy.com/shop/product-category/grass-seed/
What a great video.
Thank you 👍
Great video's, what mower are you using? Is it battery powered with rear roller??
Thanks
Thanks its a rotak bosch 43 and swardman electra 43
I wish there was a way to get that hand held aerator here in the US
Just search for "hollow tine aerator". They might also have them at your local farm store, hardware store, or green house. I see them at Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, etc. Any store that has a gardening department. I just have some random areas to touch up, so I use a 4-tine garden rake-- poke the holes, drop in seeds, push the dirt back over, and water. Works really well. Best from Indiana!
If only someone was able to produce a domestic aerator just like your domestic scarifier. The professional ones are very expensive to buy, and a pain to hire if you just want to sort a little home lawn out. Obviously the unit needs to have enough weight to penetrate the ground... but there must be a way!
It's called your hands 🤣 Seriously, I finished my reno on 200m² with a three tines device by hand. Breaking work into chunks, not all at once but bit by bit works fine. Yet some good Cardio 🙂
I bought a Mac Allister scarifier & combined Aerator from B&Q last week for £87.00. Not a bad bit of kit to be honest and did the job nicely . I’d recommend it 👍🏻
I was sceptical of the aerator but I have to say it looks like a pretty decent bit of kit 👍. A piece of advice as well, if someone was in need of a petrol aerator, but didn’t really feel like they could/ wanted to do it themselves, there are usually lawn companies in the local area who you can get to do it for you. That ‘aerator’ on the scarifier is brilliant with seeding, especially if you’re not using a top dressing. Massively helps with germination 😁
Yes will, the slots are great if you don't intend to topdress as it really helps improve seed to soil contact which is one of the top things to grt right.
So Top Dressing. I had to look it up as I'm a new homeowner with a yard that while not too bad requires some extra TLC. Ive researched a bit and watched some of these great videos. Learned about dethatching and aerating. So I've completed that and trying to decide if I should over seed before its gets hot. It seems we have a very healthy population of birds of all different species. How can I minimize them eating all my seeds. I understand aerating helps but will top dressing also help with this? Or will the birds be undeterred by the small layer of compost?
Hi There LawnGuy,Thanks to my daughters new dog my lawn is now looking pretty awful because of the dog urine.....never been a gardner and am now scratching my head as to how I can restore my lawn and keep on top of it with a dog around.
Any tips would be much appreciated.
Great video by the way.
Female or male dog? Iirc female dogs tend to prefer going in the same spots repeatedly so it’s even tougher on grass. Water dilute (hose) the pee spots after they go out.
Or create a sectioned spot for peeing using gravel, sand or some other hard scape material (rubber mulch maybe? Not sure).
Just a couple ideas since there was no reply, maybe others have some advice too.
@@paddleduck5328 thanks for the tips....looking like the hose is gonna be busy.
That manual aerator seems to do a good job
Worked really well for me
Good informative video I didn't here what time of year you can apply the different methods as some can be more aggressive than others, thanks?
Spring and autumn are the best with hollow tine being the most beneficial for thatch and aeration
I'm trying to purchase o e of the swardman aerators but can't seem to locate a seller in the US
With solid tine aeration on clay soil, it can work a lot better if you use it instead at a ~60 degree angle, and then "lever" the fork to literally lift the grass a little (and then put it down), creating fissures in the clay and breaking it up quite nicely. I've used it very successfully, although it's quite hard work. Basically like you show in your video, but instead of going down vertically and wiggling, you go in at a sharper angle and then press down on the handle
What do yiu do with the plugs?
great job, so which method was best for u aftr u shot the video, also wat grass is that, kentucky?
Good video GLG. My lawn is clay soil also (new build). I've got the Swardman aerator on order from Garden Imports. Just need it to arrive now to start my renovation!
I'm in a new build and the lawn is clay soil like yours. How did the aerator go? Would you recommend?
@@jjammy1007 yes it works well. Ground needs to be soft and even then it's a good workout. I added compost afterwards and overseeded.
Great! thank you. Yeh the ground will definitely have to be soft I imagine. I can't even got a fork in when it's dry. Thanks for getting back to me. Doesn't anyone in the uk make this particular type? I know Draper have one but not very good by all accounts.
@@jjammy1007 the yard butler one works well apparently but only two prong.
Yeah I've seen that two prong one. But my lawn is a decent size and I'd be there about a week doing it. Ha. But thank you.
Soooo, Ive never aerated before. I'm wondering what happens over time to all the holes you put in your yard? Do they eventually close up? If so, how long do they take to close up?
Hi this is very helpful, can we sow the seeds in February ?
Check this out ua-cam.com/video/gcQj9UH3SF0/v-deo.html
@@GardenLawncareGuy thanks
If only my lawn were that small! I can fit five of your houses and ten of your lawns on my front lawn; triple that on the side and 5x that in the back! Lol. It would take me years with the solid tine! :) Great video!
I also have a very clay based garden and I struggle to get a normal fork deep enough normally. I also have a screwfix scarifier that I use at least once a year. Do you use any soil improver like Gypsum to break down your clay? I do use your wetting agent, seaweed, and green machine products but interested on if you think any additional products or work is necessary for clay based lawns?
How many times a year do you need to use the hollow tine? I have clay soil so I am not sure whether I need to do more often?
Once a year normally, twice if I get time / can be bothered
Nice one
👍
The thing to do with that manual core aerator is design it to have a “D” handle on the top, instead of that “T” handle (which would get in the way), then buy two of them, one for each foot. Then just walk around the yard, aerating with each step. You’ll be done at least twice as fast. In the US, Lowes sells a Corona brand, that has two tines and seems to have more room for your foot. Plus, they’re only $26.98 USD.
Thanks for the info
Home depot has it too its red same price
A little each day I guess!
I have a compacted clay lawn and it's patchy. I plan to get rid of the grass and start again. Use hollow spike and put gypsum will be enough? Or dig out clay and put better soil? Maybe fill the holes with sand?
I have heavy clay soil. When I manually hollow tine in dry weather the tines won't peirce the surface... when I aerate after rain, the tines keep clogging up and it just spikes the ground. Will the Swardman resolve this problem? and if so, what are the best conditions to use it... When the lawn is dry or wet?....Thanks Steve
I have the same problem clay soil which needs to be moist to achieve proper penetration. I did not have much success in removing cores because after the first three or four insertions, the tines clogged and I had to start again. Very frustrating. I then switched to a De Wit bulb planter to remove (large) cores. This worked brilliantly, albeit that the cores are about 60mm in diameter. However the foot peg snapped off after about 25 cores and I am now back to square one - very frustrating. I might resort to auger drilling next.
I persevered with my swardman having initially found it extremely difficult to remove cores. Having spent a lot of time aerating 80 sq m of my lawn over a couple of days; it’s a great cardio workout ! .. especially if you are over 70. I learnt quite a lot:
1. If heavy clay, ensure that the soil is not dry; it needs to be moist to enable penetration.
2. Ensure that the tine bores are bright and shiny; any rust or dried clay has a significant effect on clogging to the extent that the tine becomes solidly blocked. I used a fine round file and wet and dry abrasive to polish. It’s surprising how much effect this has.
3. Unclog after about 10m run - you will learn how often you need to do this to keep producing cores. I used a 10mm bolt /old drill to do this then rinsed the tines in a bucket of water to clear / lubricate.
4. It is important not to stamp the aerator too far into the ground; don’t be too greedy. Pushing all the way down can ‘cap’ the end of the tine with a compressed, hard plug which turns it into a blunt-ended solid tine which forms a hydraulic lock in moist clay, thus making withdrawal a potentially disc-slipping manoeuvre. After a while you will learn the resistance at which you should stop pushing to avoid tip-capping. Pushing the handle back and forward to release the tines (and lift the soil above) eases extraction.
5. Get into a rhythm, and you will be surprised how much ground you can cover.
6. Stagger alternate rows so that all holes are more or less equidistant in triangle formation.
7. Ensure you clean after use, dry off and spray with wd40 to limit rust.
8. Drink lots of water during the task and whatever takes your fancy afterwards; you will certainly have earned a tipple or two!
To improve drainage issues do u need to fill the holes? If so what with
Excellent video just subscribed ☺
Thanks Ronald!
Very nice video! I've got a question though I just bought similar electric aerator, my question is should I use both of attachments included one after the other or do it with a week difference?
I find the fixed one is more aggressive and the tines are more a power rake for my machine and can be used more regular
@@GardenLawncareGuy thank you
Hi! When you use the Swardman Hollow Tine, what do you do with the soil plugs? Do you leave it on the lawn or rake them into a pile? Thanks!
Checkt this out ua-cam.com/video/_FdG3fisuSE/v-deo.html
My lawn is quite bumpy and rough
Should I aerate and then use a tamper to flatten?
How long would it take for those holes to "fill in"?
Few weeks with good growth, normally overseed and topdress them with a more favourable soil type
@@GardenLawncareGuy Thanks for the reply :) Laid new turf recently and a few spots haven't taken too well or have been ruined by the dog! Planning this followed by overseeding for autumn. Great vids.
Love the videos. Definitely helped me more enthusiastic for lawn care. Do you know if the Swardman hollow tune aerator will be back in stock? Really could do with that one in particular
gardenlawncareguy.com/shop/lawncare-products/hollow-core-aerator/
Really well presented Thank you. I have clay in France so buying the hollow tine model. Only three acres to do!! I also have a petrol 'slicer'.
Does one leave the plugs on the lawn?
Would you ise play sand or horticultural sand.?
On sloping lawn I use a metal blade lawn edger so the water can penetrate as it flows down hill.
Nice, is that to create a run for the water you mean?
@@GardenLawncareGuy Helps the ground absorb the water and helps stop or slows down run off.
Never seen it go up. 🤔
Solid tine for lighter soils and top dressed with a heavier loam , hollow tine for clay soils top dress with sandy loam
Do you put the plugs/divots on the compost heap?
So what do you do with the plugs after you have hollow core aerated? Collect them up or leave them to break down on the surface and sink back into the surface? Thanks for really nice practical advice 🙂
No problem, I pick mine up with the rake and take off the surface. Especially when I want to level it
@@GardenLawncareGuy Oh okay. So if you have a large lawn area that's quite a lot of pickup. I guess you then top-dress which replaces lost soil?
When should I do this in Houston Tx
Spring and autumn times are the best
I like the eletric method,less clear up and alot less effort involved as the electric scarifier/airater does the work for you. Looks tidier aswell and more suttle in terms of look.big holes in your lawn all over is gunna be very noticeable on any decent size lawn. Just depends what you prefer really everyone's different.
GREAT VID DUDE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. ;-)
Do you leave the plugs where they lay?
I like to remove them What do you prefer?
Hello Matt, where is the affiliate link for the Swardman hollow tine aerator?
gardenlawncareguy.com/shop/lawncare-products/hollow-core-aerator/
Very helpful thanks…
I have a issue that the ground under the lawn is very dense (hard) so that I am not able to hammer the aerator. Do you have an idea what to do with it?
I enjoy watching your videos very informative, this video on aeration useful. I have squirrels digging holes in my lawn and ruins the lawn look, how would one eradicate this ?
Thanks Moin - sounds like Free aeration :D
How often should you do this.
I'm basically putting holes in the backyard, filling a decent portion of it with scoria, for the purpose of improving water drainage (variation this video v=EGkUlK5fboo). When it rains heavily- I notice when I walk over the area, its splashy. What do you think of the plan- waste of time / any suggestions?
Was the Einhell machine worth the money?
I bought a Kent & Stowe hollow tine aerator and it’s total rubbish as it bent the very first time I used it! It looked well made and was expensive but that one you’re using looks like a nice piece of kit.
I have one of those cheaper 4 tube aerators that block up all too easy. I was going to bin it but before I do I'm going to cut the front part of the tubes like the one in the video and give it a go.
That model is absolutely fantastic
Good video. Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
I have re-turfed an area 10sq m. Removed all of the old turf, rotovated, levelled, topsoil to a depth of 100mm and then turfed. All of this was done last July. I wouldn’t think it needs the full works, but do you think that I should maybe manually aerate it with a fork?
Sure that will be fine 👍
Your lawn is still settling down so nothing to harsh just a light tickle with the fork and a good feed that will help establish deep root growth. R.
The Swardman Aerator looks top quality. Its a shame it has 3 prongs instead of 4.
my lawn is 15,000 square ft and is pretty hard because of the orange clay......I would need a machine to aerate my lawn.....any other way would take me WAY too long....nice video
Cheers, yeah you can get machine aerators too at all sizes. They use them on golf clubs etc
Hi thank you for the video very usefull
Thanks nash
My garden has big cracks. Why is this and what the cure please
Have you tried liquid aeration?
No I haven't, dies it work?
@@GardenLawncareGuy I haven't tried it either that's why I asked the 'Lawncare Guy' : D
You got me!
How can I get one here in the U.S. The three prong hand aerator
Love the video. I have similar new build clay based lawn, looks similar size as well. Have hollow tined it using a manual tool. What do you do with the plugs? Rake them up and add then to garden base or something different? What fertiliser/ lawn sand do you recommend after manual aeration like this?
I was told many moons ago if you have a rotary that will suck them up, or rake them and put in compost.
Hi Ian thanks I normally collect the cores and the fertiliser with this gardenlawncareguy.com/shop/fertiliser/glg-spring-summer-dark-green-fertiliser/
Thanks for the video. I moved into a new build property last year and didn't want the developers putting turf down (a good choice after seeing other property gardens on the estate) so had a guy do a better job. Problem is it is quite clogged with thatch and it is clay based soil. So much so that even now at the end of June I'm only needing to mow once a fortnight as the grass doesn't seem to want to grow. Had it fed but think it needs a scarify and aeration. I'll probably go for Holllow tine and a scarifier similar to yours but I'm wondering what month am I best doing these and should it be done multiple times a year?
Hi lawn care guy!
Can you overseed bare lawn patches in the summer months or can you only do it in spring? Might be a stupid question!!
Yes but keep up the water!
@@GardenLawncareGuy 👍👍👍
What's your fence paint please?! I've been after that type of colour and can't find it. Thanks!
This one Rupert amzn.to/3kclIy8
Can you please advise to get rid of some kind of worms eating my grass roots
its probably grubs you can find grub control at most lawn and garden stores
Are you from ormskirk?
No but close, in the North West!
@@GardenLawncareGuy I live in Taylor Wimpey house in ormskirk, finding your videos useful, can you top dress lawn around now? Would that get good results?
Thanks Michael, best would be when the grass is actively growing and not in a heat wave. If your grass is growing quick then you can
Can you do a video on how to get rid of moss? The tree causing the moss has now gone - but how do i get rid of the moss in my grass?
Cultural controls are raking, and leaving your grass a little longer to reduce the light moss gets along with fertiliser. Healthy grass will compete well against moss. To kill moss you need to use iron sulphate, this can be in a all in one product or a link to soluable iron sulphate is in the description, spray it and it will turn black for raking out. You will need need to seed those areas to promote grass, if under a tree a shady mix could be good
@@GardenLawncareGuy Cheers for that, i am in the north west, is it OK to do that at this time of year or best to wait till next year?
Maybe I missed it but you never mentioned WHEN (spring? Summer? Fall?) or how often to aerate. I know it depends on the amount traffic / people walking on the grass but it would be helpful it get a general idea.