aerator attachment question

[Dragonsm]

I need to aerate my yard this spring and begin the process of bringing a yard back from the dead which the prior owner neglected.

I currently own a Craftsman front-tine tiller. I know once upon a time, craftsman made "aerator kit" where you replaced the tines with an aerator attachment so your tiller can pull double duty. I have also seen something called an "Aeroller" (looks like almost the same thing as the craftsman kit...better built and weighted to push the tines down to plug the yard.

Has anyone ever seen/used anything like this? Since these kits have half the "pluggers" as what a commercial aerator would have....I understand that I'd need to double up to get the same results. The video's I have seen with the aeroller actually looks like it works and produces a 2" plug. Would be nice to use the tiller more than 1 or 2 times a year.

The yard is smaller and packed dirt (give or take a couple inches) and then pretty much sand below that.

With the rental of an aerator, I would almost have those attachments paid off after one use....and I am guessing I may need to aerate more than once in the next year or so.

Thanks,

Steve

[LwnmwnMan2]

(Note from Admin, edited. Please read forum policy before posting again,Thank You)

IMO, for $130, you can rent an aerator probably 2 times, rather than buy this, find out it doesn't work, and end up renting an aerator anyways.

[Powerstroke]

Last fall I rented a plugging (not spiking) aereator that you walk behind with a 20" path. I did a 1/2 acre in a little over an hour. I paid $30+ for 2hrs.

The average person only needs to aereate every 2-3 yrs. In extreme situations such as severe compaction of clay soils and/or a thatch layer more than 1" thick you should only aerate once a year.

If you want it this spring do it and then reevaluate in the fall. Powerraking or dethatching will do more for the thatch issue.

Most "attachment" aerators are spike-stlye and only compound the problem. You're packing your soil down to the depth of the hole instead of pulling a "plug" and letting it break up and settle on the surface.