Do you know your soil can become compacted over time, which inhibits your lawn's ability to absorb water from rain or irrigation systems? Compaction and inadequate water make it impossible for you to maintain a healthy green lawn. Even when you have a good irrigation system, like lawn sprinklers, your lawn can be dehydrated due to poor water absorption. So aeration—what is it and how do you do it?
Aeration Improves Water Absorption
Aeration is the loosening or puncturing of the compacted soil, and it can do your lawn a world of good. This holes you open up into the soil ensure the water from your lawn sprinkler system absorbs into the ground. Aeration also has other benefits:
- Helps increase available of water
- Assists soil in absorbing needed nutrients
- Enhances soil oxygen levels
- Helps produce new shoots and roots that fill holes in your lawn
- Makes grass fuller, denser and better looking
- Reduces water runoff
- increases your lawn's drought tolerance
- Improves your lawn's overall health
Aerate At The Right Time
When to aerate your lawn depends on the type of grass you have:
- Aerate lawns with cool-season grass in the fall. Kentucky bluegrass is an example of a cool-season grass.
- Aerate lawns with warm-season grass in the late spring or summer. Carpet grass is an example of a warm-season grass.
No matter what type of grass you have what time of year you are aerating, do so on a mild day when the soil is moderately moist, but not so wet that it sticks to your shoes. If you attempt to aerate the soil while it's too wet, you'll make compaction worse, which is the opposite of what you want to do.
Aerate your lawn as often as necessary. You can use a screwdriver to test for compaction. While the soil is moist or after you've used your lawn irrigation system, stick the screwdriver down into the ground. If the screwdriver meets little or no resistance, you don't need to aerate. However, if you find it difficult to stick the screwdriver into the ground, it's time to aerate.
If you want to keep your lawn looking healthy and green, but just don't have the time to care for it, contact a local landscape company. Landscapers, like those at T & J Landscape Services, can keep your lawn beautiful by setting up an irrigation system that fits your needs as well as assisting with aerating and feeding your lawn.
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