Lawn Aeration: Key Points to Know
Read MorePosted on: Apr 03, 2019Raunie
We know what you are thinking: what is a lawn aeration?
Grass is just like any other living organism and needs to breathe. Makes sense right? Trees, bushes, flowers, and animals all require oxygen to survive and grass is no exception. There is no doubt that air is a friend to our ecosystem. So the more we can do to help, the more our grass will thank us!
How Does an Aeration Work?
Your lawn has two main parts. The blade, the part that we see, cut, and feel, and the root zone, which lives under the soil. Over time, soil naturally becomes compact and creates a confined place for its roots. Aeration gives more real estate and oxygen for the grass to grow. Think of turning the soil in your garden. This creates more space and air for your plants to thrive in, and aeration is just the same. The difference is instead of turning your whole lawn, we remove small cores throughout and they naturally redistribute. This is much less work let me tell you!
How Does an Aeration Help?
After an aeration, the roots can freely stretch out as opposed to competing for space or try to puncture the tough ground below. An aerator is a machine that helps the process along. It punctures small holes throughout the lawn to expose the root system to fresh air, water, and nutrients. When grass doesn’t have the space to absorb these beneficial elements they end up evaporating into the air without doing its job by feeding your lawn. I mean, if you’re going to spend time and money investing in these products you may as well make sure they do their job!
So When Should You Aerate?
It is important to complete your lawn aeration in the spring or fall each year when the weather is less extreme. The machine can pull better cores when the weather is cooler. If done in the spring it can help break up the compaction from the winter. So, if done in the fall it helps the wear and tear from weekly lawn cuttings, daily soccer practice, or the inevitable rain-free period of most North American summers. To keep your lawn thick and lush we always recommend to seed your lawn at the same time… but that a topic for another time.
Aeration: The Take-Aways
The long and the short of it is this: aerating your lawn is important. So you could strap on your old mountain climbing spikes and go for a romp around the lawn one afternoon or rent one from your big box hardware store, but please be sure to do it as part of a complete lawn care maintenance plan. If you’re not up for DIY, I’m positive your local lawn care company would be delighted to help! And finally, always remember the deeper the roots the healthier the blade!