Replies

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  Dan Frazer Gardening February 7, 2012 at 5:27pm

  Both tines would have the same affect in clay soils in terms of smearing and sealing the edges of the holes.

  In my mind, hollow tining is used on heavier soils, or soils that need topdressing incorporated. Removal of some soil content allows the remaining lawn to relax and expand a little. Granted, if straight forward tining is done alone then the lawn will get compacted again, which is where dressing comes into play.

  Solid tines would be used on better lawn surfaces on a more regular basis and in suitable conditions in terms of soil dampness. The sole aim is to increase air flow by the tining action alone, so you want good soil that won't smear up when a hole is punched through it.

  I'm sure there is much more to say on the matter.
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  duncan ross February 7, 2012 at 5:49pm

  I agree with you on hollow tines in heavy soil if top dressed after, but my point of a solid tine on heavy soil is that, yes areation will be increased as the soil surface area exposed to air is increased by punching holes in it, but wouldnt punching a hole in heavy soil without taking the core out actually cause some compaction in the process as the soil  content of the hole is compacted into the bottom of the hole. Is the arguement, any aeration is better than none where circumstances require. The info in front of me catergorically states that hollow tines in heavy soil is not as effective as solid tines AND can actually add to them (cores breaking down & adding to thatch etc. Mmmmm.
   
  Dan Frazer Gardening said:

  Both tines would have the same affect in clay soils in terms of smearing and sealing the edges of the holes.

  In my mind, hollow tining is used on heavier soils, or soils that need topdressing incorporated. Removal of some soil content allows the remaining lawn to relax and expand a little. Granted, if straight forward tining is done alone then the lawn will get compacted again, which is where dressing comes into play.

  Solid tines would be used on better lawn surfaces on a more regular basis and in suitable conditions in terms of soil dampness. The sole aim is to increase air flow by the tining action alone, so you want good soil that won't smear up when a hole is punched through it.

  I'm sure there is much more to say on the matter.
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  Dan Frazer Gardening February 7, 2012 at 6:06pm

  Cores won't add to thatch if left, but they can act to block up the holes again. What is the source telling you solid tining in clay is better from a compaction point of view? Perhaps they mean if it's hard compact clay that a hollow tine would struggle to break through?
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  duncan ross February 7, 2012 at 9:20pm

  I am going to find the info & quote from it direct, the comments this has received back up what you are saying & I think, I think its franchise bull S***, so erroneous that it could mean anything yet stop you doing anything yourself in case you did it wrong
   
  Dan Frazer Gardening said:

  Cores won't add to thatch if left, but they can act to block up the holes again. What is the source telling you solid tining in clay is better from a compaction point of view? Perhaps they mean if it's hard compact clay that a hollow tine would struggle to break through?
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  Benjamin O'Neill September 24, 2012 at 12:37am

  i notice lawn thump advertise hollow coring but they leave the cores on the surface, when i was taught about aeration the method was to remove the cores am i wrong ?
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  Kevin Barnett September 24, 2012 at 5:55am

  Robbie.
  Re your last, in your experience when coring, you say you don't need to top dress if your coring, 'as long as your using the right sand'. Can you clarify, if coring is it necessary to use anything to top dress ? Or can one just leave the lawn with the holes ?
  
  I have two large lawns to aerate and wonder now if I have to top dress them at all ?
  
  At
  Kevin
• PRO

  Robbie September 24, 2012 at 8:40am

  I know it may sound like a stupid question but why were you going to topdress and what type of sand did you intend to use? 
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  David Cox September 24, 2012 at 11:09am

  As a side - one of my customers was a greenkeeper for 50 years (in his 80's now) and on his current property he insisted I use a type of grit sand he sources for me in which the grains were all shaped like grains of rice - this way they lock together and allow rapid water percolation - they also do not compact solid, but retain lots of air between the particles (some grains were nearly 2mm in size). He also said recycled glass sand - bascially crushed glass is the best material for dealing with "damp hollows" and waterlogged clay soil sites, as the crushed glass binds together with lots of air pore spaces - Its also quite cheap at £18 a ton.

  He also insisted I Solid tine, though I wanted to hollow - I will ask him why.

  I must admit his lawn is possibly the easiest I've ever had to maintain, Always even, lush growth and only fed once per year, mulched every week.
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  Benjamin O'Neill September 24, 2012 at 11:24am

  any grass that is maintained on a regular basis, feed mowed and aerated will look good however not all lawn are the same ive had lawn with two soil type on either side of the garden so treatment is different according to the soil type.