[patsfan2001]

Hello Everybody-

I want to pull a dethatcher behind my L-118. Does anyone
have any recommendations? I looking to spend $300 max.

Thanks -Joe:dog:

 

[Terminator20]

Try here at ebay

http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...t=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&query=Dethatcher

 

[Ingersoll444]

I got one of the small, tow behind ones for a LOT cheeper than that. Think I paid about 60-70 for it at eather Sears, or HD. Worked "OK" but thatch was only realy a problem for the first year or so that I started mowing my feild, now lawn. Right now, it is blocking a hole in my fence the dogs keep trying to get out of.

 

[Argee]

Originally posted by Pats_Fan
Hello Everybody-

I want to pull a dethatcher behind my L-118. Does anyone
have any recommendations? I looking to spend $300 max.

Thanks -Joe:dog:

In talking to a few folks who do lawn maintenance, I'm told the front mounted dethatchers do a better job. Not sure why, I guess you could use your bagger and pick it up as you go.

 

[cousy51]

I have one like the 40" tow behind shown in teh e-bay link (Brinly-Hardy I think). I tow it behind a Simplicity Prestige and it seems to do a good job. I put four 10 pounds weights from a weight set we had to get the teeth to get into the soil. As for the dethatcher; it was given to me from my uncle. I believe tat Home Depot or Lowes sells them fairly cheap.

 

[leolav]

I have a tow behind. Works great. I do try and attacke thatch from several directions to do the best job. I raked up my thatch this spring vs bagging it. Lawn looks great so far.

 

[guest]

i have a tow behind sweeper from home depot. They sell a dethatcher that screws into the front of the sweeper so it dwthatches then sweeps it up.. I do not own the dethatcher so can not say if it works that well...

 

[Chris]

Does dethatching really help your lawn? I think I need one --- I have visable brown debris (thatch) all throughout my lawn -----
Guess it is not breathing really well. Any insight or ideas?

Andy

 

[Chris]

PS - Saw that Craftsman one is one sale right now until 4/24 for $64.99 --- regularly $79.99 ---- Anyone have any review of this product? It seems to be really well made. Do you NEED to use weights, if so what kind?

Andy

 

[Argee]

Originally posted by admin
PS - Saw that Craftsman one is one sale right now until 4/24 for $64.99 --- regularly $79.99 ---- Anyone have any review of this product? It seems to be really well made. Do you NEED to use weights, if so what kind?

Andy

They usually build the weight trays to accomodate concrete blocks.

Do you really need to thatch? Good question....it's not the surface matting that is the concern, that happens when the grass goes through its dormant cycle. You need to dig into your sod a little deeper and look at the buildup that would restrict water and nutrients from reaching the root system. If you have earthworms popping through the surface, then they're doing the job for you. When you remove any debris like old dead grass, your removing a source of natural biomass that will eventually rot down and feed the the soil which nurtures your plant.

 

[leolav]

Thatch can strangle a lawn. Normally it occurs if you cut off to big a blade of grass. Small pieces decompose well. Larger pieces don't and get matted down to "entangle them at root level" . If not taken care of, it can strangle your lawn and not allow it to spread to the areas that have thatch.

You would be amazed at the amount of thatch that accumulates over a growing season. I pick up at least enough to fill a pickup truck 2-3 times.

 

[Live Oak]

Originally posted by admin
PS - Saw that Craftsman one is one sale right now until 4/24 for $64.99 --- regularly $79.99 ---- Anyone have any review of this product? It seems to be really well made. Do you NEED to use weights, if so what kind?

Andy

Andy, I think you would get the most benefit from going over your lawn with a core aerator. I could not believe the difference in how my lawn would absorb water after I did mine. The water used to just run off or puddle up, now it soaks right in. Core aerate it and then fertilize it. Be careful with the fertilizer! I hit mine heave with 19-19-19 and not it grows about 10 inches per week! I cannot believe how much it greened and thickened up!

 

[Chris]

Ok, core aeration is good but I have always been told that the Mickey Mouse versions that barely go down a 1" or 2" are useless. I have been told that the good ones are the very large, heavy and expensive units. Can you shed some light on this, Chief? What model aerator, how well does it work and how much does something like this cost? Thanks for the info.

Andy

 

[patsfan2001]

Thanks everyone for the replies - all good suggestions. I'm leaning towards Simple_John's combo thatcher/sweeper set up. The little woman wanted me to rake up pine needles - :hand: no thanks! I'll get the sweeper too!

 

[guest]

the sweeper works pretty well.. i cleaned the lawn this weekend.. plus it breaks down real easy and folds up and stores nicely...


As for aerators: I know plug core aerators are supposed to be best.. i got the spike aerator because it also was a drop seeder..

so it drops the fertilizer and aerates.. the spike thingies only go about 1-2" into the ground so given the chance to do it over.. id probably go with the plug aerator


Joe: this is from brinly

<img src =http://www.brinly.com/images/sweeper/SweeperDethatcher.jpg>


It indicated the dethatcher is for the 36" model only.. so i am not sure if it will work with the 48" sweeper. i know i saw the attachment at home depot last year...


PS I justified the sweeper to my betterhalf by promising her she would not ever have to rake leaves or the lawn again.. she went for it..

 

[Chris]

The combo sweeper/dethatcher from Craftsman is like $299-319.
Is this about right price for the comparable Brinly?

Andy

 

[guest]

i think its a little cheaper at home depot.. if i recall 179-200 for the sweeper and 35-40$ for the dethatcher...

 

[Live Oak]

Originally posted by admin
Ok, core aeration is good but I have always been told that the Mickey Mouse versions that barely go down a 1" or 2" are useless. I have been told that the good ones are the very large, heavy and expensive units. Can you shed some light on this, Chief? What model aerator, how well does it work and how much does something like this cost? Thanks for the info.

Andy

Andy, I got the Agri Fab 40" Core Aerator from Lowes for $169 but Agri Fab make a 48" model for $199. Lowes doesn't carry them any longer but Northern Tool has them for this price.

At first I was VERY skeptical about how it would perform but I was VERY pleasantly surprised. I stacked 6 cinder blocks on it for extra weight and the cores would sink in too far up to the core axle so I took 2 cinder blocks off and it sunk the cores into the soil about 3 to 4 inches. It is a little rough and bouncy to pull since is has only 4 cores per wheel but once I got going it did OK. It left a plethora of "mouse turds" all over the lawn which proceded to get tracked in the house at every opportunity. After a rain or two they all disolved back into the soil. It is not the greatest in the world but for $169; it got the job done WELL without breaking or bending anything.

Agri-Fab 40in. Aerator

Lowes did not carry the 48" model otherwise I would have purchase that one. Mind you mine was an already assembled floor demostrator and they come in a box of a zillion parts. Overall, I would give it the Tractor Forum best buy for home owner use.

Lowes carries a new line of VERY similar aerators made by Brinly for about the same cost. Check one of those out and you can save on shipping costs.

Brinly 40 In. Plug Aerator

 

[Argee]

Chief...your link isn't working. Is this the one you were refering to?

<img src=http://www.brinly.com/images/aerator/AeratorPlug48.jpg?SSImageQuality=Full>

 

[jodyand]

Here you go.
Jody

http://www.brinly.com/products/aerator/aeratorplug48.htm