What is Lawn Aeration and Do You Need It?

When it comes to taking care of your lawn, there’s a few tasks to consider. Among mowing, feeding and weeding, you also need to know when to aerate. Lawn aeration is the process of creating small holes in your soil to allow more air, water and nutrients to reach the grass roots. Essentially, you are helping your lawn breathe better. You may hear lawn aeration referred to as soil cultivation or core aeration, and it often involves spiking or slicing the turf.

It is helpful to first know and understand two basic terms when determining whether you need to aerate your lawn: compaction and thatch. Thatch is a layer of mostly dead turf grass tissue and lies between the living grass blades and soil. Compaction refers to the soil, and frequently develops when there is heavy vehicle traffic on your grass. It occurs when stress is applied to the lawn surface and causes air in the soil to be evacuated from the pores between soil grains. Lawn aeration can address soil compaction as well as a thick thatch layer.

There is no set rule on how often a lawn needs to be aerated. It depends on several factors, including the climate, type of soil (clay or sand) as well as the amount and type of traffic your lawn space gets. Therefore, it is important to know the warning signs of a “suffocated lawn” so that you can schedule an aeration service in a timely manner.

Here is a basic list of questions to ask yourself about your lawn to know if it is time to aerate:

• Does water pool or puddle on your lawn after rain? (excluding drainage issues)
• Do you frequently have vehicles driving or parking on your lawn?
• Is the thatch layer thicker than one-half inch?
• Is it difficult to stick a screwdriver or pencil into your soil?
• Do you have heavy clay soil?
• Are there areas of thin, patchy or bare grass?
• Have you ever aerated your lawn? How long has it been?

Ready to schedule your lawn aeration service with Cumming’s most trusted experts? Call Pannone’s Lawn Pros & Landscaping today.