What is Aeration?
Core aeration is an important component that should be added to your lawn care routine. Core aeration is the process of pulling small plugs of soil and thatch from the lawn. By cutting into the soil and lifting these plugs to the surface; it opens up the soil and allows air, water, and nutrients to easily reach the root zone.
Why Aerate your lawn?
Aeration serves many important features for a lawn. First, it reduces compaction. Compaction prevents adequate water and nutrients from reaching deep into the soil and feeding the roots. Compacted soil prevents a lawn from establishing a healthy, deep root system, which in turn equals a weak lawn. Weak lawns are more prone to stress in a drought and therefore need more watering to remain green. Weak lawns are also more susceptible to disease, pests, and weeds.
Aeration improves water absorption in the soil reducing the amount of runoff and it helps stop water from puddling on top of the lawn. This ensures either rain or irrigation water is reaching deep into the soil and getting down to the root zone. It also saves on water from sprinkling as the lawn can use irrigation more efficiently.
Aeration improves nutrient use. As nutrients are more easily absorbed into the soil, the lawn can benefit more from organic matter and fertilizers reaching deep into the root zone where they can be taken in by the plant. Aeration also allows air flow into the soil allowing the lawn to more easily breath.
When to aerate?
Aeration services can technically be preformed at anytime during the growing season; however, early fall is typically the best time of the year for cool season lawns as this is when most root growth occurs. While fall is the best time to aerate a lawn with cool season grasses, aeration can also be preformed in the spring. Aerate when the air temperatures are cooler as this is when the lawn's energy is going to developing the root system. Avoid aerating in extreme heat and never aerate a lawn that is dormmate. It is best to aerate a lawn that is slightly damp, but not soaked; this allows the plugs to pull out easily resulting in much better results.
Always leave the plugs remaining on the lawn after aerating, they contain valuable nutrients that will quickly breakdown and feed the lawn. Removing the plugs robs the lawn of organic matter which is like free fertilizer for the lawn.
What other services can be added with aeration?
After aeration is complete, apply an all natural organic slow-release fertilizer; this ensures the nutrients are going directly into the soil. While not always necessary sometimes a newly aerated lawn can also benefit from a light layer of added compost top-dressing. This is usually performed after aeration only if the lawn is lacking in good soil or if over-seeding is going to be applied. Over-seeding is the process of adding grass seed to an exciting lawn. Aeration, organic fertilization, compost top-dressing, and over-seeding all together, especially in early fall, will ensure a thick, lush lawn the following spring. Even if one does not plan to over-seed the lawn; if a soil test shows a lack of nutrients the lawn can still benefit from a layer of compost top-dressing after aeration.
How often should one aerate a lawn?
Depending on how much compaction a lawn receives or soil types aeration can be done every other year. For more compacted lawns it may be necessary to aerate annually. Compaction occurs by traffic on the lawn; this can be foot traffic by walking and playing in the yard, Mowing equipment can cause compaction over time, and sometime it might be necessary to drive on a lawn (construction, parking, and so on). For extremely compacted lawns one may choose to aerate in both spring and fall.
If you long for a healthy, lush, green lawn consider aeration as an option. Aeration is extremely beneficial; however, it is only one component to a healthy lawn. Proper lawn care including watering, mowing, and fertilization are also necessary to achieve the lawn of your dreams.