Buying advice

Puddles, deep thatch, black layer, disease and poor root development not only result in an awful-looking sward - they can also mean games and matches have to be cancelled or courses closed. That means disappointed players and spectators, a loss of revenue and a reputation in tatters.

Part of the solution lies in attending to the oxygen content of the rootzone. That means aerating. And there is a lot of kit, including new models, available.

There have been a few changes in distributorship over the past 12 months. The Aeravator, formerly supplied by BLEC, is now offered by JSM Distribution. Three models remain available: the 1.05m unit requiring a tractor of 18-25hp, the 1.5m model matching 20-40hp tractors and the top-of-the-range 2m version needing 30-60hp.

The equipment, sold with rake bar and roller, is offered with additional options such as a multi-tine rotor, a verti-cut rotor with saw-tooth blade, grooming rake, brush and a seed hopper.

JSM continues to distribute the US-built Soil Reliever range of vertical-action aerators. There are seven models, all using a tri-roller design to follow golf-green contours and provide consistent working depth without the heads touching the surface. A wide range of tines is available and two-piece heads allow varied patterns. Latest models are the Super 54 with 1.4m working width and the 1.85m-wide Super 70.

Grounds-care machinery specialist Campey Turf Care has taken on the distributorship for Imants machines in the UK and Ireland. The Shockwave, now supplied as the MKII version and called the Revenge, comes in three sizes. The 1.55m and 2.1m models have working depths adjustable from 120mm to 250mm and required tractors of 35hp to 45hp respectively. A heavy-duty 2.2m-wide version, reaching down 380mm, is available for contractors and racecourses. All give a "wave" action to shatter the soil and remove compaction without causing surface disturbance.

The 1.8m-wide Imants Rotoknife slitter-aerator, also supplied by Campey, has been redesigned and comprises a series of slitting discs suspended on individual axles with large-diameter rollers to the front and rear. A control panel on the side of the frame gives the option of bringing one or two sets of mini discs into play for shallow slitting or thatch destruction from 10mm or deeper, while large discs give deep slitting down to 150mm. Suitable for golf greens and winter pitches, this model requires a tractor of 45hp or more.

Extending its Verti-Drain range, Charterhouse Turf Machinery has brought out the heavy-duty 7621 for contractors and golf courses. It has a working width of 2.1m and weighs 1,650kg. Penetration depth is down to 400mm to relieve deep compaction, the depth adjustment being carried out hydraulically from the tractor seat. At the heart of this machine is a heavy-duty gearbox, designed to withstand the forces needed for tough conditions. The side plates are reinforced. Tractor requirement for the 7621 is 65hp plus a 1,900kg lift capacity.

At 1.4m wide, the GXi6 was introduced last year by Wiedenmann to give time and cost savings by providing one machine to do the work of two machines. The GXi6 will work at shallow depths. It will also operate down to 254mm, but at the speed of a shallow aerator, so it can carry out work in half the time. The figures are impressive: one 500sq m golf green can be aerated in 15 minutes, or 18 greens in one day. A compact tractor of 25hp is sufficient. Wiedenmann is now planning to introduce the GXi8. Expected to make an appearance later this year, model GXi8 will have a working width of 1.8m. It will need a slightly bigger tractor - probably 35hp upwards.

If you want a grass-cutting system that will do other tasks, the US-built Grasshopper 700 and 800 series ride-on zero-turn rotary mowers and available in the UK from RECO can be fitted with the Aera-Vator. The PTO-driven aerator has a working width of 1.52m and features 83mm-long solid forged-steel tines that vibrate to create 65 holes/m2. Areas around the holes are fractured. Heavy-duty construction and tine design are intended to cope with dry, compacted soils. Extending the Grasshopper's use further, other attachments include a leaf blower and turf edger.

For gardens and grounds, SCH (Supplies) has introduced a new 36' (915mm) Lawn Care System. Built in Ipswich, Suffolk, this system is based around a roller/tool carrier for trailing behind lawn tractors. The roller costs £275 (ex VAT) and may be water ballasted for extra weight and deeper penetration. Attachments include a slitter and aerator, each at £125 (ex VAT). The aerator is intended for use in early spring and autumn. The slitter can be used in other months. A moss rake is available.

Those looking to hire-in aeration services for decompacting turf areas around trees, pathways and temporary car standing may be interested to know that Terrain Aeration Services now has a machine to get into awkward spaces. Working to a depth of 1m, the Remote Terralift is pedestrian-operated and measures just 60cm wide. It weighs 80kg and can be lifted up steps and manoeuvred around tight corners.

The remote model is attached via an umbilical air hose to the engine and compressor unit on a trailer. Treatment is with a range of air pressures from 10 bar to 20 bar. Nutrients, water-storing polymers or mycorrhizal fungi can be injected at time of treatment.