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. ...
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 aerating a lawn worth it?
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.
When should you not aerate your lawn?
Spring is not the ideal time to aerate the lawn, but circumstances may require it. If the soil is so compacted that existing grass can't grow, it may be necessary to aerate in the spring. 1 Generally, though, spring aerating is discouraged because the aeration holes provide a perfect spot for weed seeds to germinate.
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.
What happens if you don't aerate your lawn?
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 the avenue for these essentials to reach their mark and put your lawn back on an upward trend. Core aerators pull small plugs of soil to the surface.
Can I mow my lawn 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.
Is dethatching better than aerating?
It is best to dethatch first before aerating your lawn. Thatch is the main problem these two processes address. It occurs when your turf accumulates too much dead organic matter than can be broken down. It starts as a shallow layer of debris that makes your lawn feel spongy.
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 I mow lawn before aerating?
Before you aerate, mow your lawn low (Timberline lawn experts recommend setting your mower to about 1.5-2 inches above the ground to maximize the effectiveness of aerating, being sure to not scalp the crown of the grass.) You will want to water one to three days before aerating.
Does aeration help with weeds?
Maintaining your soil as a fertile and well-drained environment through aeration prevents weeds from germinating and sprouting.
Should you water right after aerating?
Your lawn's watering needs immediately after aeration and overseeding are going to be a bit different than what you might be used to. Your lawn is going to require less water but more frequently. You need to keep the soil moist but you don't want to water for too long.
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®.
Why is aeration important for lawns?
Improves turf health. One of the best benefits of lawn aeration is that it can improve the overall health of your grass. Core aeration works to provide the root zone with greater access to air, water, and fertilizer. This access to air, water, and nutrients improves the health of the turf, resulting in deeper and more extensive turfgrass roots.
How to aerate a lawn?
In addition to a healthy and lush lawn, here are four things to expect from your TruGreen lawn aeration service: 1 Your lawn specialist will remove small plugs of turf, thatch and soil from your lawn. 2 We’ll determine if your lawn could also benefit from overseeding, since aeration creates optimal conditions for seeding development and growth. 3 In 1-2 weeks, the plugs break down, feeding nutrients back to your lawn’s roots. 4 You may begin to see new white roots growing in the aerated holes.
What to do if your yard is puddling after a rain?
Reduced water runoff and puddling. If you find your yard has runoff or puddling problems after a rain, aeration could be the fix you need. Prepares grass for winter dormancy and a green spring. Before your cool-season grass goes dormant, make sure it’s in tip-top shape by pairing fall aeration with fall fertilization.
How does core aeration help with thatch?
Core aeration helps manage that build-up by introducing thatch-decomposing microorganisms from the soil to the top of the thatch layer. Relieves soil compaction.
What is fall aeration?
Fall lawn aeration can help you achieve a healthy and happy yard. Click above to learn more about the benefits of lawn aeration. Think of your lawn like your car. As the seasons pass and fall approaches, there are certain upkeep requirements that come along, like rotating tires or getting an oil change. For your lawn, one of those necessary upkeep ...
Why do you need to remove cores after aeration?
By removing cores in the aeration process, soil density is decreased , thus relieving compaction. Benefits pH modification. Applying lime or sulphur after core aeration promotes the change of pH deeper into the soil profile. This will let nutrients penetrate deeper in the root zone to become available to the turf.
Is it necessary to core aerate before seeding?
It is helpful to core aerate before and after seeding into an existing lawn. Soil cultivation enhances seed-topsoil contact necessary for germination, and creates a moist, protected environment optimal for seedling growth and development. Reduced water runoff and puddling.
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 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.
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 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 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.
When should I aerate my lawn?
Ideally, aerate the lawn with cool season grass in the early spring or fall and those with warm season grass in the late spring.
How do I aerate my yard?
How to Aerate Your Yard. If you're convinced that your lawn is in need of aeration, here are some lawn care tips on how to do it: Before you get started, make sure the soil is moist enough. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to aerate soil that is bone dry.
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.
How do I use a spike 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.
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.
When should I aerate my lawn?
Though you can aerate anytime spring through fall, aerating in fall works well because you can apply a fall fertilizer which is high in phosphorus and will support root growth. Fall is also a great time to overseed, which is helpful after aeration since you’ve just removed plugs of lawn from the soil.
What is the most common way to aerate a lawn?
Types of aeration. Core aeration - Core aeration, or core plugging, is the most common way of aerating your lawn. The aerating machine removes plugs of soil from the lawn and leaves them lying on the lawn surface.
Do dogs wear down turf?
As people walk and run, their weight rolls from heel to toe, causing compaction problems. Dog paws, on the other hand (pun intended), actually dig in from the front claws, causing more tearing.