Throughout the year, your lawn becomes compacted from regular use. As this happens, a layer of thatch develops that is made up of a tightly bound layer of dead grass and roots that have built up at the base of your living grass. This thick layer blocks essential elements such as nutrients, water, and oxygen from reaching the roots which prevent your grass from growing. This thick layer also prevents new seeds from taking root in your soil.
What is Lawn Aeration?
Lawn aeration is a mechanical process that uses a core aerator to extract three-inch-long by ¾ of an inch wide cores of soil. These holes are typically 2-4 inches apart, and the leftover pieces of turf are left to break down over the next few days.
What are the Benefits?
The benefits of lawn aeration aeration include:
- Greater grass health: Grass roots may be underground, but they still need plenty of water, fertilizer, and air. Aerating the soil provides channels for these resources to reach the roots.
- Reduced water runoff: Compacted soil can’t absorb water, resulting in an excess of runoff and standing water. By breaking up the soil, we solve this problem.
- Stronger roots: Grass has an extensive root system, but the roots can’t grow if the soil is too dense. Aeration gives the roots the space they need.
- Thicker grass: Aeration gives new grass the space to grow and our seeding services ensure all bare patches are filled in.
- Increased disease resistance: By improving the overall health of the grass, it becomes more resilient against diseases, as well as pests and drought.
When Should You Aerate Your Lawn?
The best time to aerate your lawn is during the peak growing period. This is so it recovers quickly and efficiently. This would be during the early spring or fall for cool-season grasses and late spring or early summer for warm-season grasses.