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February 15th

Lawn Care

Lawn aeration involves the removal of hundreds of small soil “plugs” from a lawn. A machine extracts cores of soil roughly 1/2″ in diameter by 1″ to 3″ long as it is driven or pushed over the turf. The holes poked into the turf provide a direct path for air, water, and nutrients to reach the grass roots. These soil plugs, which can be raked over the surface of the turf, will break down, thus accelerating thatch decomposition and the return of nutrients to the soil.

Aerating Shoulds:
1. If your lawn is more than seven years old, and rests on mostly clay soil, it should be aerated annually.
2. If your lawn is moderately to heavily used (walked or played on), it should be aerated annually.
3. If water collects on your lawn, it should be aerated annually.
Why should you aerate?
Aerating helps to insure that air and water get down to the root zone. It is especially helpful during extremely dry and extremely wet conditions. For example, during periods of heavy rainfall, aerating allows air to penetrate deeply into the soil to dry up excess moisture. Aerating also helps to reduce thatch. The extracted soil cores contain microorganisms that “feed” on dead and decaying plant material (thatch). When the microorganisms come in direct contact with the thatch layer, they break it down, releasing valuable nutrients back into the soil.

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