Aeration is an important step in growing a lush and beautiful lawn. This method of lawn care involves poking holes in the ground to allow water and oxygen to reach the roots of your grass. This causes the roots to grow deeper and your grass to grow thicker and healthier. Aeration can be a lot of work, but you can buy a tow-behind turf aerator to make the job easier. Here's how turf aeration is done and the equipment that's needed to do it.
How To Aerate Your Grass
It's important to understand how to properly aerate your grass so you make it healthier rather than stunt its growth. Avoid this lawn care technique during times of drought and be sure to do it during the growing season, which could be different for each species of grass. You will usually water your grass well a few days before using a turf aerator, and then keep the soil moist for several days afterward. You'll probably want to remove thatch first if it's very thick and mow before using the aerator.
How Often To Aerate Your Grass
The frequency of aeration depends on the type of soil you have and what kind of use your yard gets. If you have sandy soil that doesn't get compacted, you won't need to aerate your grass as often as you would with soil that compacts easily. Plus, if no one walks or plays on your lawn, your soil won't compact as fast as if you have kids playing outside all day in the summer.
Check your soil for signs of compaction and monitor the health of your grass to determine when it's time to aerate your lawn. Some may need to do it more than once a year, while others may go for a few years between aerating their lawn.
What Equipment To Use
The equipment you buy depends on the size of your lawn and how often you need to do turf aeration. You might get by with a hand aerator if you have a small yard with sandy soil since you won't use it very often. These manual aerators can be rolled across the ground or pushed into it. Some have spikes that poke holes in the ground and others grab the grass and pull out plugs to thin the roots.
The most convenient way to aerate your lawn is to use a tow-behind turf aerator. This hooks up to your riding mower and you pull it over your yard. As the aerator passes over the grass, it pulls up plugs of grass and drops them on the surface of your yard where you can let them deteriorate to nourish your grass. This is a convenient way to aerate a large lawn.
If you buy one of these, you may want a coring aerator for the best results since pulling out plugs of grass is probably better for getting oxygen to the roots than just poking holes in the ground with spikes.
Contact a local landscaping service, such as Sweep-All, to learn more.
