core aeration services Lawn Aeration in a Nutshell
Perhaps you’ve heard the term lawn aeration mentioned before. Maybe it was your neighbor or even someone down at the local garden center. Regardless of where you first heard about it, the seed has been planted. Now you are trying to decide if you really need lawn aeration. So how do you know? Well, coming to Spring-Green.com was a good start. To help you determine if you do indeed need lawn aeration, let’s take a look at what lawn aeration is in the first place.
Lawn aeration, also known as core aeration, is the process of removing small soil plugs or cores from your lawn. Core aeration is usually recommended to help fight soil compaction on heavily-trodden turf and limit the buildup of excess thatch. There are numerous hand aerators on the market, but most lawn aeration is done mechanically with a core aerator, which has tines mounted to a disk or a drum. A core aerator removes small cores of soil that are usually 1/2 to 3/4 inches in diameter. The holes left in your lawn from core aeration range from 1-6 inches deep and are usually spaced anywhere from 2-6 inches apart. Some aerators thrust solid spikes into your lawn without removing a core. This process is known as spiking; and it can further contribute to compaction.
The Benefits of Lawn Aeration
As an outward extension of our homes, we put a lot of work and care into having beautiful lawns. lawn aeration benefitsAnd for those who like to use their lawn for family activity and recreation, one concern is soil compaction. Soil compaction can be a problem because it decreases the spaces in our lawn’s soil that normally hold air. Like us, our lawns need air. The roots need oxygen so that they may grow and better absorb water and critical nutrients. This combination of poor space for root growth and lack of elemental absorption stunts your lawn’s top growth and leads to lawn deterioration. Proper lawn care aeration can prevent this by:
Giving your lawn’s roots room to grow
Activating thatch-decomposing microorganisms in the soil
Providing for greater penetration of sprinkling and/or rain
Allowing for greater water, nutrient, and oxygen movement in your lawn’s soil
Helping to prevent the run-off of fertilizer and pesticide from highly compacted areas
If you are considering whether your lawn is a good candidate for core aeration, there are a few surefire ways to tell if lawn aeration should indeed be in your immediate future.
Do You Need Lawn Aeration?
If you know your lawn well enough, you may not need to take a test to determine if and when lawn aeration is ideal for your lawn. Two of the primary reasons for lawn care aeration are thatch control and the presence of heavy, clay-like soil.
Spring-Green Lawn AerationLawn Aeration For Thatch Control and Clay Soil
If you know your lawn well enough, you may not need to take a test to determine if and when lawn aeration is ideal for your lawn. Two of the primary reasons for lawn care aeration are thatch control and the presence of heavy, clay-like soil.
Thatch Control – Thatch is that layer of dead and living stems, blades, and roots that collect on well-groomed lawns. Thatch, less than 1/2″ thick, is good for your lawn. Any thicker than 1/2″ is not so good, as it can play host to insects and disease. Basic lawn care aeration lifts thousands of soil plugs to the surface and drops them right on top of the thatch. As these plugs re-integrate back into your lawn, they mix with the thatch and hasten the decomposition process. Regular lawn aeration can help manage thatch and keep your lawn looking great.
Clay Soil – Because of their weight and density, soils heavy with clay tend to compact easily and quickly. This is harsh terrain for turf growth. Proper lawn aeration in clay-heavy soils, however, is like pulling a cork from a champagne bottle. That immediate change in pressure allows things to start happening, namely better root penetration. And you definitely want that.
Spring-Green Lawn Aeration Services
Lawn aeration is one of the best things you can do for your lawn. From promoting better root growth to encouraging all of the physiological processes your lawn needs to stay strong and looking its best, lawn aeration provides numerous rewards in terms of the health and appearance of your lawn
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