Thursday, April 18, 2019

Picking The Right Compost Spreader

By Mark Carter


Using natural fertilizer is a great way to enrich the soil of produce fields and lawns alike. In order to save money and do the job right, you need to choose the best compost spreader for the job. Part of this is knowing what size you need and the types of material you will be using on the soil.

There are several sizes. If you have a large field where tractors are typically in use, you can choose an industrial spreader that is designed for this purpose. The smaller versions are for pulling behind riding lawn mowers or spreading manually. The device size does make a difference in doing an effective job, so choose wisely.

In larger applications, a side spreader works well. These throw a lot of material over a large area as you drive down the field. The spray is not going to be as even or fine as some of the other spreaders will produce, but when you're going to mix it into the soil this equipment will get the fertilizer out there quickly and with a thick application.

Box spreaders with a vertical bar are great for maximizing the amount of spray. The box is pulled behind a tractor and the fertilizer is broken up and sprayed in a way that lays a nice layer on top of the soil. This thicker layer provides more nutrient value to the soil as it is mixed in.

If controlling the area is desired, the horizontal beaters are the best way to go. This equipment is hooked up to the back of the tractor and provides the same control over the layer thickness that the vertical bars do. In addition, this one allows you to control the width of the application. Using this to provide an accurate layer the width of the tractor tires means you can work with long rows.

Using different materials together can save time and trips. Unfortunately, most material is a different density and requires a different way to spread. Using spinner beaters mixes the different materials to allow fewer trips, which saves cost and keeps from compacting the soil by driving over it multiple times. These systems work well and allow you to control the amount of material that is put out.

For lawns and jobs that are less than an acre, there is equipment designed for the job. Some are very similar to industrial equipment but scaled down to fit the smaller jobs. A mesh roller is great for home lawn manual jobs. The material is loaded into the roller and as you push it across your lawn the material is broken up and laid down between the mesh.

Choosing the right equipment minimizes cost and time to get the job done. For great lawn or produce growth, a compact soil can be a problem. Making one pass instead of many will prevent soil compaction and allow for the natural fertilizer to do its job. This is better for growing and for the environment.




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