Let's talk aeration!

Aeration: Why, How & When to aerate your lawn. In order to achieve and maintain a beautiful lawn, you should employ basic lawn care practices such as properly mowing, fertilizing and watering. It it also important to ensure that nutrients can reach the soil beneath your grass. Aeration can be an extremely vital element to a healthy lawn because it allows air and water to penetrate built up grass or lawn thatch. Get rid of thatch and make way for a beautiful lawn with this quick series about aeration. Stay tuned for why, how and when to aerate your lawn for the best results. Gary and the crew at Classic Grounds Care are happy to consult with you on aerating your lawn.

What is aeration? Aeriation involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate the grass roots. This helps the roots grow deeply and produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn. The main reason for aerating is to alleviate soil compaction. Compacted soils have too many solid particles in a certain volume or space, which prevents proper circulation of air, water and nutrients within the soil. Excess lawn thatch or heavy organic debris buried under the grass surface can also starve the roots from these essential elements. Do you have any questions about aeration? Gary would be happy to answer.

Should you be aerating your lawn? One of the most common questions from homeowners is how to determine if they should be aerating their lawn. Your lawn is probably a good candidate for aeration if:

*Gets heavy use, such as serving the neighborhood playground or racetrack. Children and pets running around the yard contribute to soil compaction.

*Was established as part of a newly constructed home. Often, the topsoil of newly constructed lawns is stripped or buried, and the grass established on subsoil has been compacted by construction traffic.

*Dries out easily and has a spongy feel. This might mean your lawn has an excessive thatch problem. Take a shovel and remove a slice of lawn about four inches deep. If the thatch is greater than one-half inch, aeration is recommended.

*Was established by sod, and soil layering exists. Soil layering means that soil of finer texture, which come with imported sod, is layered over the existing

coarser soil. This layering disrupts drainage, as water is held in the finer-textured soil. This leads to compacted conditions and poor root development. Aerating breaks up the layering, allowing water to flow through the soil more easily and reach the roots. The team at Classic Grounds Care are happy to come to your property and do an assessment of your lawn to see if your lawn in a candidate for aerating.

Aerating tools: Plug aerator vs. spike aerator. Two main aerating tools exist - a spike aerator and a plug aerator. With a spike aerator, you simply use the tool to poke holes into the ground with a solid tine, or fork. Plug aerators remove a core or plug of grass and soil from the lawn. For the best results, use an aerating tool or machine that actually removes plugs of soil. Poking holes is less effective and can actually cause additional compaction in the area surrounding the holes. Look for an aerating tool or machine that removes soil plus approximately 2-3 inches deep and 0.5 - 0.75 inches in diameter, and about 2-3 inches apart. These machines can be rented from a lawn and garden store or home improvement store. Always follow the direction provided by the store. OR hire a professional! Guaranteed work and quick service. The crew at Classic Grounds Care have the experience and tools that make aerating your lawn a quicker job than DIY. Save yourself some time and headache. Call Gary today to schedule a free consultation. 360-398-1292 .

The best time for aeration is during the growing season, when the grass can heal and fill in any open areas after soil plugs are removed. Ideally, aerate the lawn with cool season grass in the early Spring or Fall and those with warm season grass in the late Spring. With all of the rain we have here in the Fall, this is a great time to schedule a time to aerate your lawn with Classic Grounds Care. Call today for a free consultation. 360-698-1292