Sunday, April 14, 2019

Picking The Right Compost Spreader

By Mark Carter


Whether you own a farm or a yard, you are familiar with spreading fertilizer to enrich the soil. When doing so, it is important to pick the best compost spreader for the job. Compost is a natural fertilizer and is eco-friendly. The size and style of the machinery will make a difference in cost and how well the job gets done.

Industrial and consumer sizes exist. The larger fields where tractors are usually used will require the larger industrial sized spreaders to do the job right. In these cases, you will probably measure the material by the ton. Smaller but similar devices exist for efficient spreading for lawns and other smaller to medium sized jobs. It is important to pick the right equipment to do the job right.

Side composters are designed to pull behind a tractor. These are great for throwing a large amount of material in a wide spray as you drive along the field. These also work well with wet manure by breaking it up into smaller pieces. For foliage that is more delicate, these will be an excellent source. They're also better for material that is too wet for dry applicators and will clog tanks.

Spreaders with the vertical bar maximize the amount of spray. Instead of throwing a large amount, the material is broken up and sprayed in a thinner layer that is more uniform than the side sprayers. These are great for providing a nice nutrient value to the soil.

Horizontal bars are used to control the spray area. When using the box with horizontal bars hitched up behind the trailer the material can be controlled by keeping it within the track of the wheels. This allows a more accurate spread of the manure where the accuracy is needed. This helps by lengthening the distance on an application when working a field with long rows.

The spinner beaters allow you to work with multiple materials at once. Since compost comes from different sources, the density can be a problem. With each application, you have to adjust the equipment for the density. These allow you to mix multiple sources together and the beaters mix it for you so you can do one trip and not compact the soil with extra applications.

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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