In order for grass to grow, reach its potential, and have your lawn looking perfect as ever, there are some things you need to do, and this includes aerating your lawn. No, simply watering and applying fertilizer from time to time won’t do it.
Lawn aeration is a process of infusing millions of tiny air bubbles into the soil so that microbes and fungi can convert them to plant-friendly nitrogen. It means digging trenches so that air can be pumped into the soil. This process improves soil structure and enhances water, oxygen, and nutrient supply to the grass. And the result is a healthier lawn. Lawns that are not aerated will have a tendency to develop thatch.
Best Way To Aerate Your Lawn
You’ve worked hard to grow the perfect lawn, so make sure to follow these tips to keep them looking great this summer. Aeration is an effective way to improve the health and appearance of your lawn. Here are some of the best ways to aerate your lawn:
- Before you begin aerating your lawn, make sure to have the soil sufficiently moist. Nothing’s more frustrating than trying all your might to aerate dry soil.
- It is most advisable to aerate your lawn the day after watering it or after a rainy day.
- Most aerators are made to only cover small percentages of the soil surface per pass, so be sure to make several passes through the most compacted areas of your lawn.
- Save your resources and energy by leaving areas that are unaffected and still thriving. Excavated rocks and plugs of soil must dry and then be subdivided so your lawn will look clean.
- You can break apart the plugs of soil by running them over with a lawnmower or pounding with the back of a rake.
- After aerating your lawn, you should not forget to continue practicing basic lawn care in order to keep your lawn in its best condition.
There’s nothing better than having your lawn well-maintained, and in order to do so, you have to practice aerating your lawn when needed. Simply watering your lawn and mowing it won’t be enough to keep it in its best condition.
Aerating Tools: Types of Aerators
Aerators come in a wide variety of styles and materials and vary somewhat in their construction. But there are three main types of aerators, and these are the Slicing Aerator, Plug Aerator, and the Spike Aerator. Each one can be categorized by the number of streams, type and number of valves, and water pressure restriction.
- Slicing Aerators are designed to have rotating blades that can cut or slice through the grass and thatch, and down into the soil. Like the spike aerator, this type leaves the soil in the ground, but they create airways in the soil, as well as pathways for water and nutrients.
- Plug Aerators can remove the grass including some soil from the lawn. This type of aerator delivers the best result, for it removes plugs of soil.
- Spike aerators are easy to use. You can easily poke holes to the ground with a solid tine, but poking holes isn’t that effective and can sometimes only add compaction to areas around the holes.
When choosing the most suitable aerator for your lawn, it’s best to consider its capacity and how it works. You can never go wrong in making sure you’re getting the right aerator for your lawn.
Benefits Of Aerating A Lawn
Aerating a lawn helps it to be more sustainable. Aerating involves making holes in the ground with either an aerator or a spiked roller. These holes loosen the soil and encourage the growth of microorganisms in the grass that grow new roots. The benefits of aeration include:
- Increased water absorption for your grass
- The loosening of soil for better root growth and nutrient absorption
- There will be a decrease in fertilizer usage
- The grass will have the ability to handle stress from drought and diseases
- Naturally fertilizing your lawn
When To Aerate Your Lawn
If your lawn is looking a little bit shaggy it might be the perfect time for a little aeration to help get the grass growing again. Also, consider the season when planning to aerate your lawn. Ideally, the perfect season to aerate your lawn with cool-season grass is during the growing season mostly in early spring or fall. For warm-season grass, however, the perfect season to aerate them is during late spring. It’s when the grass can start regrowing and fill open areas in your garden.
If you see your lawn not appearing to be as pleasant as the last season, then it’s best to check whether it needs aerating. Aerating might be the only thing that can save your grass and your entire lawn from looking hideous.
Aeration Tips
Aeration is a maintenance job that’s necessary to keep your lawn healthy and green, and improper aeration can cause even more damage to a lawn than no aeration at all. Aerating your lawn is one of the most neglected tasks for homeowners. Many people think it’s a great idea to aerate their lawn but don’t know where to start. With these tips, hopefully, you’ll be successful in aerating your lawn.
- Before aerating, make sure to mark your lawn using flag marks for caution. It’s better to know which part of your lawn to make a pass and which has to avoid.
- To get the best results, it’s important to make multiple passes with your aerator to get the consistency you desire and to avoid ugly patches around the lawn.
- Make sure to use the appropriate tools when aerating your lawn. High-quality aerators can deliver the best results for your lawn.
- Make sure to aerate when your grass is at its growing peak.
- After aerating your lawn, make sure to keep practicing your lawn care to keep your lawn in its best condition.
Aerating your lawn can prevent diseases, reduce weed growth and make your grass grow faster. It will improve the health of your lawn and make it easier to maintain. We hope this guide has helped you understand how to do it right. We are always happy to provide important information to help you maintain and beautify your lawn. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you have any questions please feel free to visit our website www.homebounties.com. Have an amazing day in your garden!