Lawns are one of the most multi-function parts of our landscape. Not only do we enjoy them because they add beauty to our yard, but we also use them as a place to sit and relax and even make them as playgrounds for kids. That is why it really important to maintain them and keep them as beautiful as they can be.

In order to achieve and maintain a beautiful lawn, you should employ basic lawn care practices such as properly mowing, fertilizing and watering. It is also necessary to ensure that nutrients can reach the soil beneath your grass. This is where aeration comes in.

What is Aeration?

Aeration is basically perforating the soil as well as the thatch covering soil. It can be an extremely vital element to a healthy lawn because it allows air and water to penetrate built-up grass or lawn thatch – a crumbly layer of dead and living shoots, roots, and leaves.

You can choose from two methods for aeration: manual or motorized. Manual aerators work best for small lawns and produce results that rival automated aerators. You use foot-power to plunge two to four hollow cylinders into soil to extract cores or punch holes. Strap-on spike shoes accomplish a hole-punch effect but don’t remove soil cores.

The easiest way to aerate is to hire a lawn service to tackle the job. But if you’re a die hard do-it-yourselfer, renting an aerator could be ideal.

aeration

Should You Be Aerating Your Lawn?

Regardless of where you live and what type of turf grass you’re working with, aeration can help your lawn be healthier and more beautiful. The trick is knowing when it’s best to aerate, what equipment to use, and what else you can do to encourage the vigor of your grasses, while limiting weeds’ ability to gain a foothold in the lawn.

 

Your lawn is probably a good candidate for aeration if:

– You recently bought a new home. Construction crews often strip away topsoil, leaving new sod without crucial nutrients.

– It gets heavy use. Your lawn gets compressed when your family, visitors, and pets, walk and play on it.

– You have lots of clay. It’s hard for water, air, and nutrients to get past dense soil and you probably have too much thatch.

 

When to Aerate Your Lawn

The best time to aerate your lawn is based on the type of grass in your lawn. weather conditions in your area, and amount of moisture your lawn has received.

It can be done anytime of the year but the best time for aeration and seeding is as we go from summer to fall. This is the perfect opportunity to give your yard a rejuvenating boost before winter approaches. It is best performed just before or during periods of high growth, but not immediately preceding or during periods of stress to the lawn, whether from heat or drought. The type of grasses that make up your lawn will determine the best time of year to aerate.

 

If you have not scheduled your lawn for aeration, it is highly recommended to contact one now because it is one of the best things you can do to help ensure you have a beautiful and healthy lawn.