What is Lawn 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. Core aeration can help make your lawn healthier and reduce its maintenance requirements through these means: Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere. Enhanced soil water uptake. Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
How Does Lawn Aeration benefit my lawn?
Core aeration can help make your lawn healthier and reduce its maintenance requirements through these means: Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere. Enhanced soil water uptake. Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
When to Aerate Your Lawn?
The best time for aeration is during the growing season, when the grass can heal and fill in any open areas after soil plugs are removed. Ideally, aeration services are performed during cool season grass in the early spring or fall and during warm season grass in the late spring.
What Is Lime and what does it do for my lawn?
When lawns are weedy, patchy in spots or turn yellow, it may be a sign that the pH balance of your yard is out of whack. One of the primary methods of correcting the problem is to add lime to your lawn to restore depleted nutrients and repair the damage. Liming a neglected lawn can eventually return your grass to a lush green oasis, although the positive effects may not happen overnight.
Lawn lime application corrects the pH balance in soil by neutralizing its acidity and alkalinity. You can almost think of it as an antacid for your grass because you’re giving it something it needs. Fertilization of lawns causes the pH of the lawn to become acidic by applying limestone you can bring the pH level back down to a natural balance which allows grass to prosper. However, pH balance is not the only benefit that lime has on lawns.
Lime for the lawn provides grass with many benefits:
- Balances the pH level, also commonly called the acidity or alkalinity
- Inserts calcium and magnesium that grass needs to grow and be resilient through times of stress like extreme temperatures, drought or excessive snow or rainfall
- Helps with new seed, new sod or existing yards
- Puts nutrients in the soil that sometimes are not there
- Benefits other micro-organisms in the dirt that are needed for a natural balance
- Encourages thatches to decompose
- Maintains or restores soil affected by environmental factors
- Boosts the effectiveness of fertilizer and herbicide
- Makes application fast, simple and easy
- Grows strong roots for lasting beauty and endurance
The benefits of over seeding
A lot of bad things can happen to your very nice lawn. Things like bare spots, or weak, thinning or patchy grass in your yard that results from compacted soil, poor drainage, weather conditions or weed infestations. When you notice any of these types of things occur, over seeding may be the best solution for restoring your lawn back to its most attractive condition.
Other benefits of lawn over seeding are enhanced appearance and color, increased disease and insect resistance and improved weed resistance. Over seeding a lawn allows the introduction of special blends of improved grass species that can effectively resist these unsightly lawn problems.
Aeration + Over seeding
- Aeration enhances seed germination. Seeds germinate easily in aerator holes as the holes provide them a place to hide.
- Aeration and overseeding will help to reduce weeds. Opportunistic weeds germinate in areas where they can be successful. Crabgrass grows in thin areas, nutsedge pops up in thin/low spots, and broadleaf weeds spread where there is little desirable grass. The best defense is to have a thick lawn.
- Aeration and overseeding will immediately improve your lawn's current appearance. If your lawn was attacked by fungus, insects, or animals this year a core aeration and overseeding will help. You'll be able to see seed germination in 7-10 days.