If you are considering aerating your lawn, you should keep a few things in mind. The first thing to do is remove any soil or thatch plugs from the lawn. If the soil is too compact, you should avoid plug aerators. Aeration will improve the health of your lawn by making holes in the soil, and it will help your grassroots receive the water and nutrients they need to grow.
Ensure your lawn is well aerated
To ensure your lawn is well aerated, you will need to conduct a soil test on your lawn. This test will determine the level of compaction and the depth of the roots. Once you know these two details, you will be able to determine which aeration method is best for your lawn. However, you can contact a lawn care service provider if you are unsure.
The process of aeration can help your lawn breathe. When the soil is too compacted, it prevents these essential elements from reaching the roots of the grass. Soil that is half to an inch thick can hinder the proper flow of these nutrients to your lawn. Aeration opens up small holes in the soil, which allow air to penetrate the soil and increase the growth of your grass. In addition, it prevents thatch buildup and allows your lawn to absorb the necessary moisture to thrive.
When to aerate your lawn depends on its soil type and foot traffic. If your lawn has high traffic, you should aerate it every two to three years. Aerating during the spring or early summer can expose your lawn to the effects of pre-emergent herbicides and unearth weed seeds. In addition, hot, dry weather can quickly dry your lawn and cause undue stress.
Remove plugs of soil from the lawn
One of the best ways to aerate a lawn is to remove plugs of soil from it. These plugs are usually a thick mass of decomposing thatch that will break down and release nutrients into the soil, allowing it to grow better and more lushly. These plugs are also a great way to add topdressing to areas lacking in nutrients.
After aerating your lawn, you should apply a quality fertilizer to it. The soil plugs will provide nutrients directly to the grassroots, allowing the plants to benefit. If you plan to add new grass, you should consider aeration before planting.
Another way to aerate a lawn is by using a lawn aerator. This tool pulls out tiny plugs from the surface of your lawn and creates small cavities that allow the roots to receive more sunlight, water, and nutrients. This process takes only a few minutes and will yield results that last throughout the season. Aeration is beneficial for lawns that receive a lot of foot traffic.
Remove cores of thatch from the lawn
Often, it’s hard to tell when to remove the cores of thatch from your lawn, but they should be removed regularly, if not every week. Excessive thatch builds up in lawns, resulting in reduced rooting and scalping. It also makes your lawn susceptible to disease and insects. Fortunately, the best way to make sure your lawn is well aerated is to remove cores of thatch regularly.
A healthy lawn develops a strong network of roots and lateral shoots, eventually forming thatch. Aeration removes plugs of soil and enables water and air to reach the roots of the grass.
Before removing cores of thatch, make sure your lawn has been appropriately mowed twice. Yard Dawgs offers lawn aeration services in Calgary that can surely help you with this.
Aerated lawns are more tolerant of frost and more likely to withstand a heavy winter. Aerating your lawn should occur in the fall or early winter months when the weather is not too hot or cold. The best time to do this is before the first frost when the grass is healthy and can breathe. It is also the best time to aerate your lawn because the turfgrass is not in a stressful environment.
Avoid plug aerators if your soil is compacted
There are two types of aerators for your lawn, spike and plug. Spike aerators have long spikes, while plug-removing aerators have fewer prongs and are used to pull out plugs of soil.
The spike and plug aerators are both mechanical and manual. The former makes holes in the ground and is more effective at removing soil plugs than spike aerators. If your soil is already compacted, a plug aerator may be ineffective for you. Spike aerators are best for lightly compacted soils but should not be used if the soil is highly compacted.
