Lawn Aeration and Why It’s Important

Jan 28
09:19

2011

Anna Woodward

Anna Woodward

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Most homeowners don’t put a lot of thought into their yard work. Plant the grass, put out some fertilizer, keep it hydrated, and mow it on a regular basis. While this process may be enough for some people, for others it won’t quite get the job done. If so, lawn aeration may be the next step for you.

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Most homeowners don’t put a lot of thought into their yard work. Plant the grass,Lawn Aeration and Why It’s Important  Articles put out some fertilizer, keep it hydrated, and mow it on a regular basis. Rinse, repeat, and think about other things in the meantime. While this process may be enough for some people, for others it won’t quite get the job done. If you’ve ever looked at your yard and compared it to your neighbors, wondering why you have patches of brown and his looks lush and full, it could be time to take the next step in grass care. Lawn aeration may be the next step for you.
The need for lawn aeration can be indicated by a number of symptoms. Normally, if you’re doing everything right for your yard but still have problems, this could be a sign that it is right for you. For instance, if you’re giving your grass a good amount of fertilizer and keeping it watered, by all rights you should have a fairly lush yard. If not, you could need to take some extra steps. Over time, people walking on the grass can cause your soil to become hard and compact, preventing the water and food from reaching the roots of the grass. When this happens, the grass will begin to die off no matter how much water and fertilizer you give it. Your only solution may be lawn aeration.
So what is lawn aeration? The concept is actually very simple. It is the process of punching holes in your yard, loosening up the soil. When the compact soil is broken up, it creates easy pathways for water and food to get down to the roots of the grass. Imagine trying to feed goldfish in a fishbowl that had an immovable top. How long do you think the fish would last in such an environment? The same principle applies here. Not only does this process allow the food and water to get to the roots, it breaks up the roots themselves and disentangles them, creating an environment where new root growth is possible. 
Best of all, lawn aeration doesn’t have to be an expensive, elaborate process. You can purchase spiked shoes and simply walk around your yard, punching holes in the soil. Or you can purchase a spiked rolling machine to quicken the process. There are more expensive machines which use motors to make the process very efficient and quick. It all depends on how much time you want to devote to the process and how much money you are willing to spend. Keep in mind, however, that very dense and compact soil will only respond well to core aerators, so you may wish to have an expert take a look at your yard before you make any purchases.