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Aerating the lawn - fab old tool...
Tootles
Posts: 1,469
Hello - I found this wonderful old lawn aeration tool in an old tool shed sale. I'm delighted with it as judging from the weight of the thing, it's built to last! Trouble is, it has these massive springs on it that are really difficult to compress. I've used the bottle of wine for scale! Now these springs are tough. So much so, that I can only manage to prick my lawn by an inch or so. Is that deep enough to aerate the lawN or do I need to get down to the gym? Thanks in advance.
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I was once given a similar contraption, it was green and had a footplate above the horizontal bar at the bottom - I was told you had to stand on it to get the prongs into the ground - shame I wasn't as heavy then as I am now
- it was jolly hard work - I didn't get custody of it - I wonder what the ex did with it 
he certainly doesn't tend his lawn with it 
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
You need to stand on the bottom bar and use your weight to get the tines to go in as far as possible - at least 4 inches. If you aren't heavy enough or the lawn is really dry and/or compacted, you could either wait until the lawn gets softer after a decent amount of rain or ask someone a bit heavier to help you out!
Snap Dove and I agree, it is hard work!
Pansy - perhaps once I get the hang of it! For now, just imagine a pea on a giant fork!
thanks Dove and Bob. I think it might be a bit of both. I'll have another go after a bit of rain...and eat a few more pies! Failing that, I'm going to put my favourite song on and have a dance in my high heels!
You could always try fitting stronger springs and using it as a pogo stick all over the lawn
Without a decently(safely) attached footplate you're on a hiding to nothing!! [You risk serious ankle damage without one!].Alternatively, try getting a heavier/ unsuspecting male to use it on your behalf after it's rained to soften the turf somewhat?