William Hackett is a long-standing and respected name in the manufacture of harrows, going all the way back to 1892. At Farm Tech Supplies, we stock a range of their Drag Harrows and Framed Harrows. Here’s what they have to say on why harrows are such an essential bit of kit.
Pamper Your Grass
- Removal of dead grass from the base of healthy grass. This allows the healthy plants more space to grow, and improves the aesthetic appearance of the grass.
- A vigorous harrowing can remove lightly rooted weeds, such as moss.
- It will aerate the roots with minimum disturbance, improving water infiltration. This allows for better growth and will help to prevent the ground becoming boggy or saturated.
- This is an environmentally friendly method of grass care, thanks to not only the minimal disturbance of the grass, but also the fact that it does not require a power source. One of our customers has even used their Drag Harrow behind a horse!
Equestrian Matters
- Pastures can be renovated with a harrow, which breaks up and levels heavy soil, as well as mole hills. This encourages new healthy grass, as well as lowering the risk of a horse tripping and injuring itself in a paddock.
- Harrows are ideal for maintaining menages, running tracks and equestrian centre, both indoors and out. This attachment levels the surface, and can clear any rubbish from the area.
- Tearing out thatch, which horses will not be keen to eat, improves the quality of the grass for greater nutritional content of paddock grass. Fungi and bacteria are exposed to the sunlight, reducing disease in the pasture. For this reason, it is advisable to harrow in warm dry weather, which will also allow harrowed droppings to dry out and kill any parasites.
A Miscellany of Uses
- When a seed bed is being prepared, a harrow both levels and aerates the soil for ideal conditions for planting.it can also be used to cover seeds after drilling.
- When manure or fertiliser needs spreading, a harrow will ensure an even layer as well as maximising efficiency of the task.
