Your lawn needs to be fed, watered, and taken care of in order to flourish. But, there are things beyond watering and fertilizing that can give your lawn a competitive edge this season. If your lawn gets heavy use, was established by sod, or has a spongy feel, aeration is a good idea. Scott’s Lawn Care looks at what core aeration is and how it could help your lawn, below.
What Is Aeration?
Aeration is the process of creating space for your soil to breathe and absorb nutrients, water, and fresh seeds through creating hotels in your turf. There are two methods of Aerating your lawn that are popular. One is spike aeration. This is where a tool is used to poke small holes through thatch and turf, without removing any of the lawn. The other is core aeration, where a machine takes a small cylinder, usually 2-3 inches deep, out of your lawn, and leaves it on top of the turf. While spike aeration can be easier, the compaction from driving the spike in can complicate thatch problems around the spike. On the contrary, Core aeration makes a larger hole for nutrients to enter, and the ‘cores’ or ‘plugs’ that are left behind break down and provide nutrients for your lawn. This is why Scott’s Lawn Care recommends core over spike aeration.
How Does It Help My Lawn?
Aeration can help your lawn become thicker and healthier by encouraging nutrient absorption and helping with soil compaction and thatch layering. If your lawn feels springy or spongy, it’s possible that a thick thatch layer exists. This prevents water, seeds, and fertilizer from reaching the root systems. Core aeration creates a pathway to the roots and helps loosen compacted soil. Breaking up the thatch layer helps your lawn grow lusher, as well as need less water to thrive.
When Should I Aerate My Lawn?
The best time to aerate your lawn is during the growing season. Early spring or fall work well for this. For spots in the lawn that have an especially thick thatch layer, repeating this process in both spring and fall can have incredible benefits to establishing a thick, healthy lawn before the snows fall, or to recover after the long freeze of winter.
Aeration Services And Much More
Scott’s Lawn Care isn’t just a mowing service. We provide quality, forward-thinking, year-round property maintenance. Our technicians are trained and certified by the state of Minnesota as well as the University of Minnesota in different techniques in order to make sure your lawn lives up to its fullest potential this season. Find out more about the Scott’s Lawn Care difference on our website, and schedule a consultation by clicking here https://scottslawncare.net/.