Most everyone understands the need for regular feeding, weed control and proper mowing and watering in maintaining a thick, green, beautiful lawn. But did you know that aeration is just as important as any of these? And the benefits of aeration aren’t just here today and gone tomorrow. They continue for months after being performed and work together with all the other services your lawn receives throughout the year.
Aeration removes thousands of soil cores from your lawn and deposits them above the thatch layer. The cores are about a half inch in diameter and 2” to 3” long. As soon as aeration is completed, a lot of good things begin to happen to your lawn - and continue for months after the service is performed.
The first immediate benefit is the creation of tiny pockets in your lawn to catch and hold air, water and fertilizer. This is especially important in heavy soils that tend to be compacted and shed water rather than absorbing it. The next thing you’ll notice is that the soil cores begin to dissolve during rainfall and irrigation. This soil mixes with the thatch layer and helps it decompose, preventing a thick blanket of thatch from forming over the lawn. Then, because the holes are catching water and fertilizer, the grass roots begin to grow towards them, getting fuller and thicker on the way. Since there’s extra space, the compacted soil of your lawn begins to loosen, which allows more oxygen to reach the roots and the roots to grow deeper without hitting hard soil.
The root system of your lawn is constantly renewing itself by sending out new shoots. This new growth needs loose and open soil. If your lawn soil is heavy and compacted, the new roots stay near the surface or even in the thatch layer itself. This leads to a lawn that dries out too quickly and builds up thatch much faster than a deeply rooted lawn.
New root development is much greater in the fall than during any other time of the year and continues through most of the winter. Your lawn can recover from many kinds of stress during this time of year. Aeration creates the growth zone new roots need to take the fullest advantage of the season.
The important final result of all these steps is that the lawn is thicker, greener, has less thatch and holds up to hot and dry weather better than before. Consider including power aeration in your annual lawn care program. It’s a wise decision that will continue to pay dividends at the “grass roots” level long after the aerator is gone.
