Section 2: Operating Instructions
RCM4610, CA0548 & CA0556 Core Aerators 325-108M
12/11/18
15
General Operation Instructions
By now you should have read your Operator’s Manual
and properly hitched up to your Land Pride 05 Series
Core Aerator. If you haven’t, please do so now.
Using the Core Aerator is a fairly simple task but there are
a few things you need to consider before beginning. If you
are aerating in an area that uses a sprinkler system, you
will need to mark the sprinkler heads with small warning
flags so they can be avoided. Also you will want to avoid
any sizable rocks or foreign material that might be
embedded in the soil that could cause damage to the
aerating spoons. Most important, do not work over
underground electrical wiring or gas lines.
WARNING
!
To avoid serious injury or death:
Never make contact with underground utilities such as
electrical power lines, gas lines, phone lines, etc. They can
cause serious injury or death from electrocution, explosion, or
fire. If in doubt, call 811 (USA) before digging so that they can
mark the location of underground services in the area. For
contact information, see Dig Safe in the “Important Safety
Information” starting on page 1.
Now that you know where you are going to aerate and
have taken the necessary precautions; it is time to travel
to the site where you intend to aerate. It is best to start in
the middle of the field and gradually work your way to the
outer perimeter with each pass. This will help keep you
from compressing freshly pulled cores.
Begin by lowering the Aerator spoons to the ground if
transport wheels are included. Pull ahead slowly to get
the spoons into the ground. Gradually increase ground
speed to approximately 5 mph. Do not make sharp turns
with the Aerator in the ground as equipment damage may
result. At the end of each pass, make a wide turn until you
have realigned the tractor for the next pass. Look back
often to observe your pattern and to make sure you are
getting good soil penetration. If you aren’t achieving the
desired penetration, you may need to add more weight or
wait until after a rain or after irrigation has been applied to
soften the ground.
Usually allow about twelve to twenty-four hours after
pulling cores before pulverizing the solid parts left on the
ground. Use Land Pride’s Drag Harrow (DRG04 or
DRG06) as a drag mat to pulverize the solid parts. Refer
to Land Pride’s Drag Harrow Operator’s Manual
322-207M on our web site www.landpride.com. See
description of
“Features
and Benefits”
The pulverizing action of the drag harrow breaks up the
soil portion of the core which is redistributed into the
undisturbed thatch layer setting off a microbial action that
accelerates thatch breakdown. The vegetation portion of
the core remains on the surface for debris collection or
use a mulching mower to make the debris smaller.
With very little practice, you should become very
proficient and effective with your Land Pride 05 Series
Core Aerator.
At the completion of the aeration task, the Aerator should
be washed, cleaned, and lubricated. Any lodged cores
should be cleaned out of the spoons. Units being put up
for the winter should be stored in a dry and well drained
area with the wheels down to support the spoons off the
ground.
