I have red clay under my lawn and have implemented some really off-the-wall strategies to improve it. Heavily compacted soils can benefit greatly from being aerated more frequently. If your yard is small, however, and is easily cared for with a push mower, you are probably going to be just fine renting a dedicated unit. For more information, read the following article:ĭo Pull Behind Aerators Work? (Towable Vs.

They are an amazing solution for large yards. This type of aerator connects to the back of your riding mower and allows you to aerator your lawn while simply driving around. F or larger yards that require a riding mower, you will be better served purchasing a pull-behind lawn aerator like the Brinly PA-40BH Tow-Behind Plug Aerator (link to Amazon). The idea of renting a dedicated gas-powered lawn aerator to push all over my yard just sounds terrible. Why? Because your lawn size is one of the factors that will directly impact the number of hours spent aerating.

One of the biggest factors that you will want to consider is the size of your lawn. Okay, with that little rant out of the way, let’s go over the key factors that you need to consider when looking at the option of buying vs. Stay away from this approach to lawn aeration and spend your time doing things that will actually help. But it’s not how you solve compaction issues. I get the appeal of just walking around your lawn aerating it. And second, when you press spikes into an already compacted environment, all you are doing is compacting it more! First, you aren’t removing any soil to lessen the compaction. The idea of spikes to aerate is a flawed concept, whether it’s using those goofy shoes or a dedicated “tool”. The truth is, they will either accomplish nothing at all or they will actually make the compaction of your soil even worse. No matter what you are being told by advertisers, spike aerator shoes are not an effective way to improve the aeration of your soil. But first, let’s get this one out of the way: Let’s look at each of these criteria more closely and how they should weigh on your decision to rent or buy. Depending on the distance, buying may be the better choice. Distance from a rental location – Finally, consider how far you live from a rental center.Ability to pick up and return rentals – If you are going to have to borrow a pickup truck or trailer every time you rent, purchasing may make more sense for you.Cost over time – Along with the frequency of use, consider the cost of renting equipment over five years compared to owning.Frequency of aeration – Heavily compacted soil benefits from being aerated more frequently which makes purchasing an aerator a better solution than renting.Size of lawn – smaller yards can often be handled with a rental while larger lawns that require a riding mower will be better served by purchasing a pull-behind aerator.The following criteria should be considered when deciding between renting or buying a lawn aerator: Aeration can do wonders for your yard, especially if you have heavily compacted soil, but you want to make sure that you are making the right choice for your specific needs. If you are on the fence about whether you should rent or buy a lawn aerator, there are a few important considerations that you should take into account.

Core plug aerator