Subsoiling your soil a few times a year is crucial for promoting aeration, crop growth, and water retention. When it comes to managing large farms and plots of land, employing a subsoil aerator or shakaerator will dramatically increase your efficiency.
In this article, we compare subsoil aerators, grassland shakaerators, and fruitaerators to help you decide on the right machine for your subsoil aerating needs.
The process of subsoiling involves the agitation of the soil by cutting into and loosening the deeper layers. This aerates the subsoil, allowing moisture in, promoting grass seed germination, and encouraging root growth.
An aerator is generally known as a tool designed to perforate the soil with small holes to allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate the grass. However, there are two primary types of aerators:
This type features spikes on a roller and typically reaches depths of 100-200mm. It’s commonly used for the maintenance of sports fields and parks.
Attached to a tractor, this aerator has sturdy legs on a frame that work beneath the surface. It aerates the soil at depths of approximately 400-800mm with minimal disturbance to the ground level. This method is significantly more effective than surface aeration, especially for promoting healthy pasture growth.
The Grassland Shakaerator is an advanced deep-soil conditioner designed to enhance soil aeration, improve drainage, and stimulate grass root growth. Attached to the rear of a tractor, this PTO-driven unit features a subsoiler that cuts and vibrates the soil, effectively reducing draught.
Its patented vibration unit requires less horsepower, conserves fuel, and improves traction compared to traditional subsoilers. The unique leg design of the Shakaerator avoids mixing soil layers, focusing on lifting and aerating the subsoil while causing less grass disturbance.
The McConnel Fruitaerator is a type of shakaerator, specifically designed for orchards and vineyards with narrow lanes. The unique vibration action eases compaction, supports drainage, and promotes healthy crop growth. Depending on your needs, you can choose from a range of working widths, flat or shark-tooth rollers, and various leg configurations.
Are you looking for a tractor aerator for sale? At Agriquip, we supply McConnel’s world renowned Grassland Shakaerator and Fruitaerator.
Created for farmers and contractors, the Grassland Shakaerator excels in a wide variety of work environments from pastures to sports grounds. This PTO tractor attachment is a high-performance deep-conditioning subsoil aerator that makes it easy to turn your soil, ease compaction, enhance drainage, and promote crop growth.
McConnel's unique vibration unit moves up and down and side-to-side at a rate of 500-600 vibrations per minute. It shatters the soil and eases the passage of the legs through the ground, reducing fuel consumption and operating costs, and aiding traction. The tractor cab is also isolated from the vibrations so you’ll never notice any shaking.
The legs pass through the ground shattering the soil upwards. This means the impact is felt by the soil below, minimising surface disturbance, soil compaction, and plough pans. As a result, this allows roots to grow and moisture to permeate.
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Created for orchards and vineyards, the McConnel Fruitaerator eases compaction, aids drainage, and promotes crop growth. Built on the Grassland Shakaerator platform, this tractor attachment is a high-performance deep-conditioning PTO-driven subsoil aerator but is designed for narrow lanes and tracks.
The Fruitaerator features the unique McConnel vibration unit which moves the aerator up and down and side-to-side at a rate of 500-600 vibrations per minute. This shatters the soil, easing the passage of the legs through the ground, reducing fuel consumption and operating costs, and aiding traction.
The patented sabre-style legs ease the passage through the ground, reducing draught requirements and reducing the risk of horizontal compaction.
The 355mm discs cut through the turf and surface residue, minimising surface disturbance. This means the majority of the shaking and aeration occurs below the surface.
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For more information about our PTO shakaerator and other tractor attachments, explore the full range on our website. You’ll find all the specifications you need to make an informed decision, as well as optional accessories, photos of each attachment in action, and helpful operating manuals.
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