It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about lawn care, but aeration is a very important, yet overlooked step. No matter the type of grass you have in your yard, every kind can benefit from lawn aeration. Read on to learn about the process of lawn aeration and how it can benefit your yard!
What Is Lawn Aeration?
It is the introduction of temporary stress to your lawn grass. While the grass recovers from this short amount of stress, the turf’s ability to grow increases. It is the process of keeping your lawns from becoming compacted.
Benefits of Lawn Aeration
- Weeds have a harder time taking root.
- There is an increase in the lawns’ ability to grow.
- Lawns are more full, beautiful, and keep that luscious green color when they aren’t compacted
How to Know It's Time for Aeration
- Weeds have a harder time taking root.
- There is an increase in the lawns’ ability to grow.
- Lawns are more full, beautiful, and keep that luscious green color when they aren’t compacted
When to Aerate
Knowing when to aerate your lawn is a crucial part of the aeration process. Aeration should be done once a year for maximum efficiency, especially if you live in an area where the soil is very clay dense. It is best to aerate just before the peak growing season for grass. For those of us who live in Michigan, early fall or early spring are the best times for law aeration.
Types of Aeration Equipment
- Plug Aerators: These are often used by professional landscapers; these aerators remove a small core of soil from your lawn.
- Slicing Aerators: These types of aerators slice into the ground itself with the use of a rotating blade.
- Spike Aerators: These aerators poke a small hole into your soil.
Next Steps After Lawn Aeration
Now that you have aerated your lawn, it is best to let your lawn rest. If you have your lawn aerated with the use of plug aerators, let the plugs be. They will break down in the rain or the next time you mow your lawn.
Immediately after a lawn aeration is the perfect time to overseed, fertilize, or do small lawn repairs. With the roots now exposed and the soil open, fertilizer and nutrients can more quickly make its way to these roots, resulting in quicker, better lawn growth.
Need Your Lawn Aerated?
Contact Clark’s Landscaping today to schedule, just in time for spring to start! We can help you get your lawn on track to grow thick and full for the summer ahead.