Let the Lawn Breathe: A Basic Guide to Aerating Your Lawn

What is Lawn Aeration?

Your lawn needs air to breath. The basic idea behind lawn aeration is that your lawn and the soil under it need to breathe. Removing small cores of soil from your lawn reduces soil compaction and promotes root growth for healthier grass. The following article will give you a basic understanding of why it’s important to aerate your lawn.

Why Does Your Lawn Stop Breathing?

Thatch builds up and makes it difficult for your lawn to breathe. This is where lawn aeration steps in. It is done in the spring or fall to help control the thatch. Lawn aeration can be as simple as poking holes in the soil here and there. For those in greater need of lawn aeration, you will need to perform core aeration.

What Is Core Aeration?

Core aeration is a type of lawn aeration whereby a machine (a lawn aerator) with hollow tines mechanically removes plugs or “cores” of soil and thatch from a lawn. Core aeration reduces soil compaction, creating a channel through which oxygen, water, and nutrients can penetrate into the soil.

What Are The Benefits?

Core Aeration can help make your lawn healthier and reduce its maintenance.

Some other benefits include:

• Enhanced soil water uptake.
• Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
• Reduced water runoff and puddling.
• Stronger turfgrass roots.
• Reduced soil compaction.
• Enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.
• Improved resiliency and cushioning.
• Enhanced thatch breakdown.

Why is it Needed for a Healthy Lawn?

The same reason humans need clean air. Compact soil prevents grass from establishing a healthy root system and keeps water and fertilizer from reaching the roots.

Walking, playing and mowing will compact soil and stress lawns. Raindrops and irrigation further compact the soil, reducing large air spaces where roots readily grow. When you aerate your lawn, you are allowing your grass to grow deeper roots and make better use of water and fertilizer.

How Often Should You Aerate Your Lawn?

Most homeowners only need to aerate their lawn one time per year, but it depends on where you live. This is because different soil types require different aeration schedules. Clay soil should be aerated at least once a year as it compacts easily. Sandy lawns can go every two years. In arid climates, aerating twice a year will enhance turf growth and health.

It’s pretty clear that aerating your lawn is a necessary step to make sure your grass is healthy and strong. Please SHARE this article if you know someone who needs to aerate his or her lawn!