Lawn aeration is used when you have high traffic areas, or places that drain poorly. But in order to areate your lawns you must know how much it is compacted. Because there are different degrees of compaction.

It also depends on what type of soil that you have. Then you can aerate your lawn using the proper method. There are different methods of aerating the soil depending on how much it is compacted.

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The reason why you need to aerate your lawn is simple. Aeration is simply putting hole down into the soil. This will open up the soil and allow oxygen, water, and nutrients into the soil where roots can use them effectively.
When your grass gets the nutrients, water, and oxygen it needs. It will have no problem looking healthy and great. Thus increasing the worth of your property. People will want to look at great healthy lawns.

The word AERATION means "to supply with air". Soil that has been compacted by high traffic and poor drainage will suffocate the roots system. It will actually cost more to maintain a compacted soil lawn than it would that has been aerated.

Soil that has been compacted will inhibit the roots from growing and finding fresh nutrients, water, and oxygen. This will inhibit the grass from being as healthy as it could be. This will mean that you will have to keep fertilizing and watering more often. This will also mean that your lawn will burn when it gets in the hot and dry periods of the year.

Soil aeration might have to be done two to three times a year depending on your soil type, drainage, and foot traffic.  When soil is already compacted it tends to stay compacted until it is broken up by some means. Either tilling, plowing, or some type of core aeration.

You can rent a core or spike aerator or buy one. But I wouldn't recommend buying one unless your planning on going in business of aerating lawns. You can rent them for reasonable rates usually by the day at any lawn and garden center.

If you are still not sure about the soil being compacted you can take stick or steel rod (I use a 1/2 inch steel rod) but you could use a 3/8 inch stick or rod to push down into wet soil to see how far it will go. If you can push the stick or steel rod down about two inches then the soil is fine. Further the better. But if you have to stand on the instrument to get it penetrate the soil.

There are several spike methods out on the market. The spike method will just punch a hole into the soil which is fine. Except that it will compact the soil around the hole. Using the core method of aerating, this removes a 3/8 inch core of soil and punches it out on the ground.

This is true aerating, the only problem with this method is that it will leave the cores on the lawn. It doesn't look very pretty and that's why I recommend doing it in the fall after the grass has stopped growing. This way you can core aerate and fertilize the lawn when it really doesn't need it.

Then the next spring when the grass starts growing again the grass will have a head start with all the nutrients, oxygen, and water it needs to get started.

Now you don't have to core aerate every year but it would be wise to spike aerate every year. Your soil can never be too loose. Because this will encourage the roots to grow faster and stronger.

Like I said there are several ways to spike your lawn. You can get a little trailer spike that you pull with your riding lawn mower. You can get spikes that strap on to your shoes and just walk around. You can use a hay fork to spike the lawn.

Using the core aerator you might want to shop around to find a professional lawn service to come and aerate your lawn. Don't stop at just one, find several if you can. Then go with the one of your choice.Be sure to leave the cores on the lawn they will disappear over the winter. This will release nutrients back into the soil.

If the cores don't disappear after winter thawing then when you mow the first time especially if you use a mulching blade. Sandy soil might only need to be aerated once a year. Because the sand is loose to begin with. But watch out for poor drainage and where water tends to pool easily. This ground will become compacted even though it is sand.

You should aerate your soil when you overseed your lawns. Overseeding will get down and start growing faster when you aerate. When you overseed you are planting new grass this will make your grass thicker and help close up bare spots you might have. You should aerate your lawn before overseeding because it could cut the roots of the new grass which has not had time to get the depth it needs. This grass might not recover.

Most seeds comes with its own covering of fertilizer. So be sure if you use this type of seed not to fertilize with another fertilizer. This might cause you to over fertilize which will result in burning. The package that the seed comes in should tell you whether or not it has its own fertilizer covering. Usually the covering is a greenish blue color.

Be sure to water before and after aerating your soil. This will let the core stems to penetrate deeper and making it easier to aerate. Watering after aeration will help moisture get down to the roots where its needed.

Happy Gardening
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