Do those shoes that aerate do any good? I am talking about the ones with 1.5 inch spikes on the bottom. I know that anything is better than nothing, but I didnt know if I would get any better results than regular golf shoes.

If you have used them or still use them let me know what you think.

Thanks

hangin25,
I have a pair of those. They attach to my boots. The spikes are longer, about 1 inch, then the spikes on golf shoes. Which means the spikes will penatrate deeper into the ground. Twice a year, while mowing the grass I will use them, then spread compost and other soil amendments down and water them in. I am very happy with the results.

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Greg...
Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]

I would rather spray a biological material which will aerate forever. If you must do something mechanically, rent an aerator for $35.00 and see if the neighbors will split the cost. I would not chance hurting yourself by twisting an ankle, tripping, etc.
Tony M

Tony, can I ask what biological material you are talking about spraying to control thatch?

I just checked Home Depot's "Tool Rental Price List" and a Gas Aerator rents for $35.00 for 4 hours but $50.00 for a day. Get a whole neighborhood together then the daily rate doesn't look to bad. I still prefer mine that attach to the bottom of my boots. The $35.00 will buy enough soil amendents to cover my yard for a year.
PS: Nina, I like your mushroom avatar!

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Greg...
Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]

Thatch is not usually a problem in an organically maintained lawn. If you do have thatch you can scalp the yard in the spring and start using all organic inputs which will prevent thatch buildup.
There are many biological aerators, Medina, Greensence, etc. I have been playing around with a product called Earthworm, and I like it. I believe it is the only one with a patent on it. There are many other benefits besides biological aeration.
Many of the business listed on this site carry it.
Tony M

Tony,
Kathe Kitchens told me about Earthworm when we were spreading organic soil amendents on the cemetery in Malone. I went out and bought some from Lowes. Have not tried it yet. If it works as good as she said, they may be selling alot of it the the farmers and ranchers. It does not take much to do an entire yard.

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Greg...
Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]

Yea Gar, Kathe and I used to work together and have known each other for years. We know the manufacturer of Earthworm so we've had some additional exposure to it.
I did half my pasture with it and saw results the first year.
Tony M

I hope it works as good on my lawn. I planted bermuda because I did not want to wait 3 years for buffalo grass to grow. She had good things to say about you, while working on the cemetery.Did U both work for
Ag-Organic?

_________________
Greg...
Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]

Tony,
What results did you see in your pasture?

Back to the original question, I don't think the aerator shoes do much good. If you have megatrillions of healthy microbes per square foot developing your soil for you, it's hard to see how a few holes per square foot would help.

DEEP, INFREQUENT WATERING IS THE
SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING
YOU CAN DO
TO SOFTEN YOUR SOIL.

There I've shouted it. Even heavily chemical fertilized turf will get real soft once deep, infrequent watering is implemented.

_________________
David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum

The results I got in my pasture were not startling but significant. I took about three acres and applied the Earthworm product mixed with Agrispon, to half the pasture.
Last summer there were many more wildflowers and denser, taller grass on the Earthworm side. I tried to take pictures but I needed a helicopter to do the results any justice.
This was old pasture land that was grazed to death by dairy cattle for years. What else was done to it I don't know.
I did take a soil test and found the total exchange capacity around 36, which means it has some good holding capacity. The organic mater was below 3 but I was happy to have that. Maybe erosion was not a problem even tho it sits on a slope.
Calcium was high, as it is almost everywhere around Dallas and Collin county, but phosphorus, magnesium and potassium were all very low.
I put sul-po-mag with a little extra sulphur on the other 6 acres and left this three-acre plot alone.
Tony M