Lawns get compacted with prolonged use. This can be caused by walking on the lawn, and even heavy rains contribute to compacting. As a result, the surface doesn’t allow air, nutrients, and water to reach grass roots, making the lawn die out gradually.
Aeration is the best answer to this issue. It allows all vital elements to reach plant roots, providing proper nutrition and keeping the lawn healthy. Spring and fall growing seasons are most suitable for aeration. In the spring, the grass will receive a much-needed boost, while in the fall, the root system will become stronger.
The aeration process is done with special machines which are unsurprisingly called aerators. They can differ depending on how they’re operated and how the aeration is performed. In terms of operation, aerators can be walk-behind and pull. Regarding aeration itself, the machines can be core, spiking, or slicing.
Core aerators remove tiny turf patches to infuse the lawn with air, spiking utilizes small spike injections, and slicing creates openings in the soil.
Regardless of the aerator type, the process brings various benefits to the yard. Some of them are instant, while others show in the long term. The immediate effect is that the plants grow more densely and stronger due to better air, nutrient, and water supply. Longterm, aeration makes the lawn more robust and capable of resisting diseases. Thatch will also be less likely to build up in aerated lawns.
Another way aeration improves the yard is through reducing water runoff. The turf itself becomes more drought and heat-tolerant, preventing the grass from dying out in harsh weather conditions.
Best of all, aeration doesn’t come with any downsides. It will boost and refresh the lawn without any side-effects, which can’t be said of all lawn maintenance methods. Even in the case of core aerators, the tiny patches will break down, causing any accumulated thatch to decompose.
Key Takeaways:
- • Aeration helps with your grass because heavy rain will damage the grass over time.
- • Aeration can usually be completed during any season, but how many times depends on your soil.
- • It works by putting holes and slicing through those holes to create the aeration.
“Aeration can be done anytime during the growing season. How many times your lawn needs aerating depends on its soil compaction. The two most popular times to aerate are in spring and fall. Spring aeration gives grass plants a little extra boost and provides faster greening; fall aeration helps strengthen underground root systems while providing an excellent bed for overseeding.”