Enjoy The Best Of Tines

This is part of a continuing series of how-to articles to help you maximize performance and productivity with Toro® products.

Toro® ProCore® and Bullseye™ aerators are known for their productivity and the quick return of turf to playable conditions. An essential part of ensuring clean, precise aeration hole quality is using the right tines and setting them up properly. This article will provide tips for tine selection and setup.

More Than A Catalog
The Toro Titan® Tines Catalog is popular because of its wide selection of more than 150 tine options, but it’s also packed with great information to help you choose the right tines for your needs. This includes measurement diagrams as well as tine selection charts based on models, holes per square foot and more.

The tables in the catalog make it easy to select the proper tines for your machine and your soil. For instance, after viewing the options available for your aerator model, you can then review a description of each tine along with the options for lateral spacing and forward spacing. More information is also available on the pages for the individual tines. Once you determine your tine configuration, you can also determine the proper turf holder.

Adjust For The Ideal Coring Depth
Many factors affect the depth of your aeration holes, especially the length of the tines and the settings on the aerator. Follow these steps to set the coring depth of your aerator:

  • With the machine on a level surface with the parking brake engaged and the key removed for safety, line up one end of your selected tine with the desired aeration depth on the aerator’s depth decal.
  • Note the letter that the other end of the tine lines up with, then set the depth control lever to the corresponding setting.
  • To make sure that your machine is operating properly and that the settings are where you want them, it’s a good idea to conduct a Spacing/Speed Test as outlined in your Operator’s Manual. 






In this example, setting the tine for a 3-inch aeration depth corresponds with setting the depth control lever to G.

Minimize Hollow Tine Turf Tufting
While a weak root system is the primary cause of tufting around aeration holes, it can also be caused by the orientation of the coring tines. Tufting can occur when the tines are set for the plug to be ejected straight back. Instead, rotate the tines 90 degrees so that the aeration hole is on the side.

For additional tips on tine selection, setup and maintenance, contact your local Toro distributor or consult the Tines Catalog.

More How-To Help

The how-to series is designed to help you get the most from your Toro equipment. If you missed any of the previous articles, here are a few of the most recent ones:

            Extend the Life of Your Sprayer

            How to Get the Most From Your InfoCenter

            Maintain the Ideal Quality of Cut

            Routine Maintenance: Why It’s Important and How to Get It Right