Let’s go over the key benefits of lawn aeration:
- Promote healthy root growth. After aerating, it is easier for nutrients, air, and water to penetrate the soil to reach the roots of your grass. ...
- Get rid of excess thatch accumulation. Routine aeration is a fast and easy way to break up thatch in your yard.
- Weather droughts. ...
- A better appearance for your lawn. ...
- Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere.
- Enhanced soil water uptake.
- Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
- Reduced water runoff and puddling.
- Stronger turfgrass roots.
- Reduced soil compaction.
- Enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.
- Improved resiliency and cushioning.
Why and when you should aerate your lawn?
- Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere.
- Enhanced soil water uptake.
- Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
- Reduced water runoff and puddling.
- Stronger turfgrass roots.
- Reduced soil compaction.
- Enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.
- Improved resiliency and cushioning.
- Enhanced thatch breakdown.
Why do we aerate and compost lawns before overseeding?
Mow the lawn lower than 2 inches
- Mowing short before overseeding prevents weeds and established grass from competing with new seedlings.
- It also allows sunlight to reach the soil for the much needed warmth for germination.
- Mowing also prevents grass seed wastage (seeds may lodge in the tall grass).
Can You aerate your lawn by yourself?
DIYing your lawn aeration can be difficult. If you are determined to do it yourself, there are aerating tools you can use that poke into the ground and create the aeration holes. You can either purchase the tools or rent them from a home improvement store. If you have a small patch of grass, a manual aeration tool should be sufficient.
Why, when and how to aerate your lawn?
- Mow your grass short before aerating. With shorter grass, the new seeds you lay down will get the proper water and sunlight they need to germinate and grow. ...
- Keep an appropriate watering schedule leading up to aeration. ...
- Use your aerator properly. ...
- Seed and fertilize after aeration. ...
- Water lightly. ...
When Should I aerate my lawn?
You want to aerate the lawn when your grass is in its peak growing period so it can recover quickly—think early spring or fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring through early summer for warm-season grasses. If you have high-traffic areas or heavy clay soil, you will want to aerate every year.
Is it worth it to aerate your lawn?
Almost all lawns will benefit from aeration, and a great lawn demands it. That said, most lawns do not need it. Lawns suffering from heavy foot traffic, excessive thatch (>1 inch thick) or grown on heavy soils will benefit most.
What do you do after you aerate your lawn?
What to Do After Aerating Your LawnLeave the soil plugs on the lawn to decompose and filter back into the holes left by the aeration machine. ... Apply fertilizer immediately after aerating your lawn to put nutrients into your grass roots. ... Reseed your lawn, especially in areas of the lawn where the grass is thin.
Why you shouldn't aerate your lawn?
While aerating does relieve soil compaction – enabling roots to more easily obtain fertilizer, water, and air – it could also cause it to dry out quicker. A stressed lawn is more prone to being invaded by aggressive weeds, such as crabgrass, and damaged by summer drought.
Should I pick up plugs after aerating?
– The Short Answer. The consensus is that no, you should not pick up plugs or cores after aerating. In a few days, these little pieces of your lawn should break down and become unnoticeable. This process is aided by watering your lawn deeply after aerating or waiting to aerate before it rains.
Should you overseed after aeration?
Overseed After Aeration. Once aeration is complete on an existing lawn, start overseeding within 48 hours and then water the lawn lightly to ensure good soil contact with your new seed. During this time window, seed and fertilizer have a better chance of getting deeper into the aeration holes, which is what you want.
Should I mow before or after aeration?
In general, aeration creates the most benefit on soil that is a little bit moist. Then, try not to mow right after aerating. Instead, mow beforehand, and consider laying seed and fertilizer over your lawn after aeration and give your lawn time for that new seed to germinate before you mow again.
Does aeration help with weeds?
Maintaining your soil as a fertile and well-drained environment through aeration prevents weeds from germinating and sprouting.
Should I fertilize after aeration?
Immediately after aeration, your lawn is ripe for overseeding and fertilizing. The holes provide excellent soil exposure for seeds and deliver fertilizer directly to the roots of your grass. For best results, use high-quality seed and fertilize with Milorganite®.
Is aerating or dethatching better?
It is best to dethatch first before aerating your lawn. Both dethatching and aerating your lawn will improve air, nutrient, and water penetration into the root zone of your grass. Thatch is the main problem these two processes address.
How long do aeration holes last?
It can take up to a couple of weeks for the greens to recover, but these procedures are critical for the long-term health of the greens. This is typically done one to three times a year, depending on the course, the type of greens, and in what part of the country they are located.
Can you walk on aerated grass?
You can't walk on the lawn after aeration because the seeds and fertilizer need time to settle, and the soil could get too compact. Walking or mowing on a freshly-aerated lawn can prevent the seeds from sprouting and the soil from getting enough oxygen and nutrients.
What is Lawn Aerating?
Just in case anyone is still confused as to what aerating actually is, without going into too much detail here, let me explain.
The Top 7 Reasons to Aerate Your Lawn
Perhaps the most important benefit of lawn aeration is that it allows the soil to breathe – or rather, the grass itself to breathe.
A Word of Caution
With all these awesome benefits to aerating lawns, you would think it a good idea to do it all the time.
Summary
There are so many benefits to aerating your lawn that it was tough to pick just seven.
What is aeration
Aeration, also known as aerification, is the process of perforating your lawn (dotting it with small holes) to increase the flow of oxygen, water, and nutrients to plant roots. It’s like a three-hole punch for your yard.
Signs your lawn needs aeration
If your grass isn’t filling your lawn like it used to, or if it has lost its rich green color, your soil may be compacted and in need of aeration.
Benefits of lawn aeration
Aeration boasts a host of benefits for your lawn and local ecosystems.
When to aerate your lawn
To ensure that your grass quickly recovers and fills the holes in your lawn, you’ll want to aerate during your region’s growing season.
Giving aeration the thumbs up
If you’re ready to jump on the aeration train and give your lawn the nutrition boost it’s craving, aeration is easy to DIY with a rented core aerator. Or you can call in a local lawn care pro to aerate your lawn while you enjoy getting your own refreshing facial.
Why do you aerate your lawn?
For many homeowners, aerating lawns to relieve soil compaction and enhance grass growth is a regular annual task. Almost any lawn can benefit from aeration when it's timed well and done properly.
When is it easiest to aerate a lawn?
Aerating is easiest on you (or your equipment operator) and your lawn when your soil is moist from irrigation or rainfall the day before. Overly dry soil can be tough to aerate, so moisture eases the process.
What is the purpose of dethatching and aerating?
Thatch is the layer of decomposing organic matter that forms right at the lawn surface, between soil and grass. When thatch gets more than 1/2 inch thick, it works like compaction to prevent the flow of air, water and nutrients grasses need.
What is the best way to aerate a lawn?
Aerating equipment comes in three main types, from small manual versions to larger tractor-like or pull-behind machinery: 1 Spike aerators simply poke a hole down into the soil with a solid, spike-like tine. Some homeowners wear spiked aerator “sandals" strapped to their shoes to aerate as they do yard work. While these can help on a small scale, spike machines can make compaction worse by pressing soil together around the holes. 1 2 Slicing aerators have rotating blades that cut or slice through grass and thatch and down into soil. Like spike aerators, slicing aerators leave soil in the ground, but they create pathways for air, water and nutrients without causing more compaction. 3 Core or plug aerators, typically preferred by lawn professionals, use rows of hollow tines that remove plugs of soil from your lawn and deposit them on top, where they break down. The size of the plugs and the holes they create vary in width and depth, depending on the machine used.
How do spike aerators work?
Spike aerators simply poke a hole down into the soil with a solid, spike-like tine. Some homeowners wear spiked aerator “sandals" strapped to their shoes to aerate as they do yard work. While these can help on a small scale, spike machines can make compaction worse by pressing soil together around the holes. 1.
Why do grasses die?
Grasses gradually thin and eventually die out completely, for lack of the oxygen, water and nutrients available just inches away. Even a single aeration session can open ...
What is a slicing aerator?
Slicing aerators have rotating blades that cut or slice through grass and thatch and down into soil. Like spike aerators, slicing aerators leave soil in the ground, but they create pathways for air, water and nutrients without causing more compaction.
Why do you aerate your lawn?
The aeration process allows the root system better access to air, water, and fertilizer. Because the roots are able to receive ample amounts of nutrients, it stimulates root growth and the roots become stronger. When the roots become more extensive and deeper, the overall health of your lawn improves because the grass plants are stronger and more resilient.
How do you know if your grass is getting oxygen?
And then, about a week later, you’ll notice roots sprouting up in the holes . This indicates that your grass is finally receiving the oxygen, moisture and nutrients it needs to grow.
What is thatch in lawn?
Thatch is the layer of dead grass that adds up in your yard when you mow and let the clippings land back onto the lawn. Doing this once in a while is good for your lawn since the clippings decompose, releasing water and nutrients back into your lawn’s soil. This helps grass grow greener, healthier and thicker.
What happens when soil is too compacted?
As we discussed previously, when the soil is too compacted, it inhibits air circulation. The aeration process unclogs the compacted soil and reduces thinning that causes your roots to suffocate.
Why is aeration important?
It is also important to ensure that nutrients can reach the soil beneath your grass. Aeration can be an extremely vital element to a healthy lawn because it allows air and water to penetrate built-up grass or lawn thatch. Get rid of thatch and make way for a beautiful lawn with this quick guide to aeration.
What is the best way to aerate a lawn?
Two main aerating tools exist — a spike aerator and a plug aerator. With a spike aerator, you simply use the tool to poke holes into the ground with a solid tine, or fork. Plug aerators remove a core or plug of grass and soil from the lawn. For the best results, use an aerating tool or machine that actually removes plugs of soil. Poking holes is less effective and can actually cause additional compaction in the areas around the holes.
What to do after aerating a lawn?
After aerating, it's important to continue basic lawn care practices such as proper fertilizing, mowing and watering . Aeration is a beneficial practice toward achieving a beautiful lawn, but most people don't realize it or understand the process. If your lawn is a candidate, make it an integral part of your lawn care regime.
What causes a grass to starve?
Compacted soils have too many solid particles in a certain volume or space, which prevents proper circulation of air, water and nutrients within the soil. Excess lawn thatch or heavy organic debris buried under the grass surface can also starve the roots from these essential elements.
What does it mean when your lawn has a spongy feel?
Often, the topsoil of newly constructed lawns is stripped or buried, and the grass established on subsoil has been compacted by construction traffic. Dries out easily and has a spongy feel. This might mean your lawn has an excessive thatch problem. Take a shovel and remove a slice of lawn about four inches deep.
What is soil layering?
Soil layering means that soil of finer texture, which comes with imported sod, is layered over the existing coarser soil. This layering disrupts drainage, as water is held in the finer-textured soil. This leads to compacted conditions and poor root development.
Do aeration machines cover a small percentage of the surface of the soil?
Most aeration machines cover only a small percentage of soil surface per pass, so make multiple passes over the most compacted areas. Save resources (and your energy) by leaving unaffected areas alone. The excavated soil plugs should be allowed to dry and then broken up to give your lawn a uniform, clean appearance.