Sorry, not 1.4 inch...1/4 inch.

I know this much...you definitely do NOT want to run a verticutter over an area after it has been seeded. If you do, you will damage and displace much of the seed.

Well, I could see why you wouldn't want to do it while or after grass germinates, but I've heard of people doing it immediately after seeding. If you think about it, that is what the devices with built-in hoppers are essentially doing. So, maybe you're right, and some of the seed would get wrecked that way...I really don't know because I haven't tried it yet.

I have never heard of anyone running a vertical mower over an area after it has been seeded; at least I've never heard of anyone admitting to doing such a thing. I believe what the devices with built-in hoppers are doing is verticutting, then dropping the seed into the grooves created by the vertical mowing action, thus promoting the "seed to soil contact". After the seed is dropped, there may be a small roller on the machine that presses down the area that has just been seeded.

nearandwest,

All of these "slit" seeders have a drop spreader that dispenses seed in front of the verticutter unit. I've used the BillyGoat and the Ryan Ren-O-Thin. I've never investigated to see if there was any seed damage, but I can attest to their ability to bury the seed into the furrows and I have had very good success with germination. Every furrow produces thick lines of grass. All I can say is that it works. You are correct that a "true" slit seeder (never seen one for rent) has verticutter blades, followed by disk blades, followed with metering tubes that drop seed into the furrow, followed by a roller to close the furrow and cover the seed.

BTW, the drop spreaders that come with these units do not properly shut off. Small seed like KGB will continuously poor out wasting seed. They may work with large seed like fescue but I find it easier to just broadcast. Also I omited the word "rental" in the first sentence "All of these RENTAL "slit" seeders..."

The Brillion unit I have used is not a true "verticutter". It has disc blades that create a narrow furrow into which the seed is dropped, but that in no way is a true verticutter. It is more of a slicing action as opposed to a vertical mowing operation. If it was a true verticutter, it would leave a mess behind the unit and the seed would never make it into the furrows.

And yes, also with the Brillion seeder, we tried to drop bentgrass seed, and the seed continued to drop even after the hopper was supposedly closed. Seed was too small.

I looked up the Brillion overseeder. 3pt. hitch? I see what you are describing and the rental seeders we are talking about are nothing close to that. I beleive they are accurately described as verticutters with a hopper. I don't think I would use them to overseed a lush lawn as they do make some mess and I imagine anyone caught using one on a golf course would be shot, but cutting an existing thin lawn short prior to use reduces the mess and I've been impressed with the results.

"I don't think I would use them to overseed a lush lawn as they do make some mess and I imagine anyone caught using one on a golf course would be shot, but cutting an existing thin lawn short prior to use reduces the mess and I've been impressed with the results."

Yup, that's exactly what I'll be doing next week.

Lawn Hobby,

Good luck with your project next week. I hope what you are using is similar to a Ryan Mataway Overseeder.

Grass,

Brillion makes a walk-behind unit that mirrors the operation of their tractor-mount unit.

I suspect we may be talking about different machines that accomplish the same task in slightly different ways, but with similar results.

I still contend that if you truly verticut an area that has just been seeded, your seed will be displaced away from the target area.

nearandwest,

If I recall you work for a golf course and are familiar with equipment. These are not mataways--not even close. The only place I've ever seen a mataway or similar machine for rent is at a rental company that specializes in renting specialized equipment to golf courses and professional landscapers. They will not rent to a homeowner.

I just finished researching Ryan, Bluebird and Billygoat. They identify the basic machine as a power rake, but they have multiple reels available. one class of blade is flail and is used for dethatching. A second blade class is fixed. They identify the fixed blades as vertislicing blades--what I have been calling verticutter as I assumed the were the same thing as they look like blades on verticutters I've seen.
The Ryan machine I have used and own is called a Ren O Thin Spot Seeder. It has interchangable flail and fixed blades--fixed for seeding. It also has a drop spreader that sits on a bracket on the front and is powered by friction with the front wheels. Ryan evidently no longer makes the Spot Seeder but does still make the Ren O Thin which is identicle in looks to mine which is probably 15-20 years old.

Blueird still makes this type of seeder with a power rake/verticutter unit very similar to the Ryan but the drop seeder is at the back of the machine.

Billygoat still makes their version with a drop spreader in front and the powerrake/verticutter unit behind.

Please take a look at the link and scroll down to the OS Overdeeder and let us know if those fixed blades look like verticutter blades to you. I'd like to e able to use the proper terminolgy.

http://www.beavervalleysupply.com/sectionb/billygroa.htm

Thanks.

Actually, I oversee the maintenance of 3 golf courses for a management company.

It appears that LawnHobby has done quite a bit of research to get to this point, and as long as he/she has the right equipment to do the job correctly, I am sure LawnHobby will be satisfied with the results of the seeding process.

I wasn't asking for LawnHobby, I too am sure he will be satisfied. I was inquiring for my own understanding and to increase my knowledge.