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Do you roll your lawn?


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I've never rolled my lawn and I've never really understood why someone would do it. We aerate to loosen up the soil to allow air and fertilizer to get to the roots. Doesn't rolling compact the soil? Sure it's a little bumpy at the beginning of the year but after a few mowings the rollers on our decks have knocked down most of the high spots.?
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Probably for the same reason that we fertilize it to make it grow, then have to cut it more frequently... :D A roller will give a smoother looking lawn, especially in early spring to get rid of frost heaves and lumps, but it does compact the soil like you described.... It's also a good tool to break up the cores left behind from a core aerator, letting them settle back into the ground, and wash down into the holes you just cut them out of... :D
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I have heard both good and bad about rolling. Some say rolling compacts the soil and prevents good root growth, others say rolling compacts the roots, giving the grass a better root base and better growth. I don't know. I do roll my lawn every two years and really see no difference in my lawn's overall appearance from one year to the next. I do know that after a long winter like this year rolling does smooth out the lawn allowing a much smoother ride. Normally I plug aerate after rolling to loosen the soil back up and provide for better fertilization. Seems to me the holes allow the fertilizer to get to the roots more readily this way. I guess it's a matter of opinion. DaveM
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Rolling has never been a part of my routine for the reason mentioned...it seems counter-productive after core-aerating in the fall and the frost heave over the winter. By the time I mow my lawn 3-4 times, my big heavy garden tractor tires have probably hit every area of the lawn (not to mention the deck rollers), and everything is pretty well compacted and flat. I'm a rank amateur, but I've got 2 acres of pretty nice grass. I like to play around with the Simplicity trademark stripes in my big backyard!8D
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I dont roll mine. When you have a 100lb dog that likes to place turds and rocks in strategic locations in attempts to sabatage your tractor, its pretty well useless. Everywhere he relieves himself in the grass, it turns burnt brown. Its also hard to grow cantelope when your dog likes to play ball with them. I think I need a new dog. PS.......I can hook anybody here up with a free cat that is guaranteed. If it gets killed on the road, dies of a heart attack, etc..., I will gladly replace it with another one (or two) for free. There are about 50 of those furry SOB's running around in my neighborhood, and only two are mine. Send me a PM if you are interested in a black lab or a dirty old cat. stinkie
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Being a farmer I know all about soil compaction and how it affects plant and root growth. That said I don't like to roll my lawn, Kathy (my wife) does... I'm outvoted, any questions?;):D:D:D
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Yes, I roll my lawn. In New England there is a lot of frost heave and rolling (early) tends to take out a lot of the bumps and valleys. Steve
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When the pasture is wet,the mules running around makes it pretty bumpy.I like to run a disc over it lightly,overseed and flatten it out with the roller.I have a heavy metal roller-that's about all I use it for.(I think it would be handy for putting in new grass after tilling and discing).dogman
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Having a lawn business on the side, rolling works great on frost heaves and especially on mole trails.. yes they burough back through but... what better way to get them than sitting and waiting for them to come through and take a frog gig and get them. It is essential to aerate(plug) after to allow water ect. back in the ground. The lawns I do both to look much healthier and cut much smoother. :)
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I use the roller to flatten out the mole tunnels, then set the trap for them. So far it's cats 10, trap 1. The other reason I roll is to press the new grass seed into the soil so it satys there a little better. I like the thatch rake for breaking up the plugs from the aerator.
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Nope, but I could see it where the neighbor's cows have come in and lumped it up good. So never rolled, but never aerated, either, and always had more than enough grass to grow. Gosh, if I aerated and rolled, I'd probably have more grass, and less time to mow it in! Feed not, roll not, weed not, poke not. H***, if I could, I'd mow-not!
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quote:
Originally posted by MDB
Being a farmer I know all about soil compaction and how it affects plant and root growth. That said I don't like to roll my lawn, Kathy (my wife) does... I'm outvoted, any questions?;):D:D:D
My cousin had the same problem as you, so he built one. For some reason I can't attach the file, but I put it in my profile. It is a 36" concrete culvert and it centered with rubber tires. He made it from scrapped out chopper axles. He can pull it with his 718 but can't do corners.
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I roll the every year with a 36" roller filled with water. Most of time the roller is pulled by my AC HB-112 or Sears custom 8. After raking all the grass this is more fun.:D8D Karl
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