A brief on aerators for modern farms

If there is one problem that bugs the commercial farmer, it is the eternal problem of compaction. The fundamental need on cultivable land of any kind is to first of all condition the land in order to improve its productivity. This conditioning is needed on three fronts. These fronts are physical, chemical and biological. Physical conditioning of soil is carried out by changing its texture and structure. Hardpan has to be removed and porosity introduced. This is what compaction is all about.

The soil can be compacted due to equipment traffic, livestock traffic and rainfall. Compaction results in the air-water mix being sucked out of the soil. The farmer has to fight compaction throughout the year aggressively and for this, the right tools are aerators such as the chain harrow. Harrows are a type of aerators that is used for breaking the large lumps of earth and making the soil smooth. One may also need harrowing for removal of weeds and sometimes for covering the seeds once these have been sown. There are different kinds of harrows such as spike, tine, disc and chain. Generally, the chain harrow is used for light jobs such as covering the seeds and spreading out the dung.

Modern farms need excellent aerators. This is because the productivity of fertile land quickly reduces if it is not tended to regularly by aeration. Only the regular use of aerators such as the tractor aerator ensures that compaction does not occur. The tractor aerators come in different sizes such as 48”, 60” and 72”. The farmer mounts different tines such as the Shattertine, Fine Tine, Sports Tine and Super Finetine depending upon the condition of soil and the task at hand such as removal of compaction or dethatching.

Thatch is basically a pile of dead organic waste that ultimately chokes the soil of oxygen. The spike aerator and the core aerator are used to remove thatch and aerate the soil. The spike aerator makes use of solid spikes that are shaped like wedges for punching holes in the soil. The core aerator on the other hand removes clods of soil while the core is left behind on the turf. While compaction is removed and thatches broken down, the holes serve as reservoirs of air, water and fertilizer over a long period of time for effective nutrition.

Editor123 - About Author:
The article is contributed by a professional content writer, having experiences of working in different industries. For further information on Tillage Equipment, Farm Runoff and Manure Runoff, visit http://www.daveheath.com/

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