Your lawn needs love year-round. And after the backyard bonfires and barbecues, kids running through sprinklers, pets roaming around, and all of that mowing and gardening—it could definitely use some extra TLC over these next few months. That’s where aeration comes in.
What is aeration?
Aeration is the process of removing plugs of soil in order to break up soil compaction, allowing oxygen and water to reach the root zone. These holes are small – only a few inches deep – and are typically made by simply piercing the ground, or removing small “plugs” of dirt. The treatment is key to stimulating root growth and encourages the penetration of air, water, and nutrients into the soil. It’s also key to removing and preventing thatch buildup.
Why is Aeration so Important for my Lawn?
Aeration is probably the single best thing you can do for your lawn. Just like cleaning out your closet or coffee maker, aeration rids your lawn of unnecessary clutter and buildup. Here are four reasons why1. More Durable and Resistant to Foot Traffic
If you have a lawn, most likely you want to use your lawn. If you have kids or entertain often, your lawn might take a bit of a beating. That’s why aerating your lawn is so vital. When your lawn receives all the air, water, and nutrients it needs, it grows strong and is more durable. Just like when you eat all your veggies, you’re more likely to ward off colds and other illnesses.
2. Reduced Water Runoff
Water runoff is important to keep at bay for several reasons. First, too much water can kill your lawn. Secondly, it’s a health hazard for humans.
3. Improved Fertilizer Uptake
Your lawn needs nitrogen to thrive. It is primarily absorbed into the grass by its root system. Fertilizing your lawn helps increase the amount of nitrogen your lawn can absorb. The results of increased nitrogen are:
- Grass grows stronger and more resilient
- Grass grows faster
- Plays an important role in the production of chlorophyll, resulting in a greener looking lawn
4. Helps Prevent Disease
When a human body is fed the wrong food, it eventually gets sick. The body doesn’t have the proper nutrients it needs to fight off disease. To stop being sick, the body is usually given medicine and hopefully more nutritious food to help it heal.
The same goes for your lawn. When your lawn is prevented from receiving the proper nutrients, it becomes difficult for your lawn to fight off disease. This often happens when layer after layer of sediment, soil layering, or thatch get matted down year after year.
Aerating your lawn acts like your medicine, going in and busting up spots where stagnation and disease have occurred and flushes it out. The result is a more resilient, better-looking lawn.
When should I get my lawn aerated?
The timing of your lawn aeration treatment depends on the type of grass you have. Cool-weather grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, and ryegrass (those most commonly found in Indiana) should be done when the weather begins to cool, during late summer and through the fall. Warm weather grasses should be aerated when the weather is warm, between late spring and summer.
At Lawn Pride, we recommend our customers in the Indianapolis area aerate their lawns in the fall. The combination of cooler Fall weather and heavy rainfall make this the perfect time to aerate a lawn.
Additional benefits of fall aeration include: - Increase of lawn’s drought tolerance - Noticeable improvement in overall lawn health - Provides new seeds time to grow strong roots before next summer
Avoid DIY Lawn Aeration
Renting a lawn core aerator has definitely crossed your mind. Why not rent the machine and tackle this project yourself? After all, how hard could it be? Lawn core aerators are very bulky and awkward machines, making them extremely difficult to transport and maneuver. Plus, you may have to consider renting a truck for a day as these rental aerators don’t exactly fit comfortably in your family vehicle.
Here at Lawn Pride, our quality, commercial-grade plug aerators ensure that the job gets done right. Our representatives are trained to handle these machines so you don’t have to. Our commercial aerators also guarantee every single hole is dug deep and they are consistent across your whole yard.
At Lawn Pride, we have invested in the very best equipment and we know the exact time of year and the exact environmental conditions your lawn will benefit the most from aeration. The optimal time to aerate is during your grasses peak growing season.
When done at the precise time, with the proper equipment, and handled by a professional who knows lawns inside and out, your yard will be the thicker, healthier, and more beautiful yard you have hoped for.
Plus, our representatives always have a few tricks up their sleeves that you may not contemplate when doing a DIY lawn project. Considerations such as avoiding damage to irrigation systems and working during moist conditions are just a few thoughts we have when aerating your lawn. More importantly, we recommend taking full advantage of overseeding immediately after aeration.
Overseeding after aeration will more effectively fill in bare spots and help thicken your lawn. A thick lawn is the best defense against weeds.
Should overseeding be done along with aeration?
Put simply: Yes! Overseeding, the act of spreading grass seed over your existing lawn, is a vital part of the lawn care process and is recommended to do right after aeration. Aeration provides excellent conditions for overseeding because it allows new grass growth to establish itself and fill out thinning areas that are commonly found in mature lawns.
Overseeding is just as important to prevent thinning as it is to correct thinning. With that said, it’s also important to treat the entire lawn with overseeing, not just the visibly thin areas. At Lawn Pride, we use hydraulic aerators for improved accuracy, quality, and efficiency. These ride-on aerators pull better plugs than normal push aerators and allow for a more productive overseeding process.
Schedule an Aeration Treatment
Annual aeration is a great way to maintain a healthy lawn, but it is a bit tricky. The easiest way to aerate is with a machine called a Core Aerator, but leasing and transporting these bulky devices can be a chore. Your best bet is to contact the aeration and overseeding pros right here at Lawn Pride.
We’ll be happy to give you a free estimate and make sure your lawn gets aerated the right way at the right time. Already a loyal Lawn Pride customer? Log in here to request a service.