Discover 8 benefits of Lawn Aeration!
If you care about your lawn, then
lawn aeration is a regular must!
What does lawn aeration do?
Lawn aeration means perforating the soil with small holes to permit air, water, and other nutrients to penetrate to the deep roots of the grass.
This leads to the lawn being properly watered and ‘fed’, resulting in a healthier lawn.
What are the benefits of lawn aeration?
The benefits of lawn aeration include:
- Relieves surface compaction and encourages growth of new roots
- Increases the depth of roots
- Improves uptake of nutrients
- Reduces the buildup of thatch below the surface
- Stimulates the soil borne microbes that are important in maintaining healthy soil
- Improves the permeability of the soil
- Improves drainage, reducing the risk of fungal diseases like red thread
- Improves the exchange of air between the soil and the atmosphere
Lawn aeration is eco-friendly
Aerating the lawn is actually also an eco-friendly practice as a healthy lawn increases the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.
Does my lawn need aeration?
You should aerate your lawn in circumstances such as:
- Your lawn gets a lot of use such as children regularly running around on it.
- Tradesmen do a lot of walking on it during renovation work.
- When you notice that your lawn has started to feel spongy or that the soil is drying out quickly.
- You notice excessive thatching on your lawn.
- You have drainage problems ie. puddles of water remain all over the lawn after it rains.
Even if none of the above occurs, aerating your lawn once a year is advisable for the health of your lawn.
Consider the time you will save by aerating your lawn once a year compared to having to dig up and reseed the bare patches.
When should I aerate my lawn?
It is ideal to aerate the lawn at least once a year.
We recommend not aerating your lawn when very dry weather is expected, or the ground is frozen.
What is the best time for lawn aeration?
The best times to aerate your lawn is: early in autumn, spring or late in summer.
The ground should not be waterlogged.
Ideally, the turf should have had good watering and be slightly soft but still firm.
This especially applies if you are doing core aerating.
Do not aerate during a drought as the holes can crack open.
If the ground is frosty wait until later in the morning when the frost has gone before you start aerating.
What should I do before aerating my lawn?
- Mow your lawn very short, ideally the day before and perform dethatching / scarification.
- Mow your lawn again and collect your grass clippings to ensure the surface is free of debris.
- If the ground is too hard you will need to water it for around an hour first.
- If you have pop-up sprinklers, use some kind of markers to identify where they are situated so that you do not damage the sprinkler heads.
