 Re: has anyone ever used an air spade?
bigshea I've used the homemade variety, we used our own to decompact, vertically mulch and tried using it to cut trenches around transplants.
The main problem with homemade is the lack of proper nozzle....the superrsonic nozzles ramp up the force with which the air hits the soil and thereby the effectiveness of the tool as a whole. We also encountered some issues with ours relating to wear and tear around the trigger and handle, where it attaches to the wand....this can be a weak point especially since some leverage motion is almost inevitable even with very careful operations.
We operated ours at a range of pressures and nozzle diameters found that a compressor working around 180cfm and a nozzle diameter of 8mm worked best for us.
Always try to have the area irrigated 24hrs before the work...makes it much easier and quicker...as well as less stressful for the operator, reduces the volume of fine particles flying out at high speed!
Always have appropriate ppe, face shield thick pants gloves helmet etc.
The very best results we had came from decompaction through good quality mulch after irrigation. There is always a question as to just how much difference decompaction and even vertical mulching actually does...to be honest with you the scientific evidence suggests not much! But since every tree and its soil environment is unique even the best studies are really only specific to that tree in those conditions. As I say through well composted woodchip mulch after irrigation it is a great way to enhance the soil-root environment especially when it has been badly compacted.
One last point it is a tremendously useful tool for examining root crowns especially when you are concerned about the extend of decay in buttress roots..valuable trees or high value targets.
__________________ Sean  Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran
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