Spring Aeration
Aeration is something that everyone with a lawn should do at least once a year! The aeration process essentially streamlines your grass’s ability to absorb more of the nutrients that keep it alive. Divots (tiny holes) created by machines designed to carry out this process provide an excellent opportunity for your lawn to be as healthy as possible.
The Benefits of Aeration
Aeration is done with special machines that form small divots in your lawn created by hollow spikes that puncture the grass and dirt. These lawn care devices essentially look like a smaller version of a steamroller that can be pushed.
As the aeration machine moves over your grass, dirt is trapped inside hollow spikes that line the roller and release the trapped pellets of earth onto the surface of the lawn. This compacted pellet soil bi-product is known as a “plug” and is a critical player in the effectiveness of the aeration process.
As the plugs sit on the surface of your lawn, they slowly break down over one to two weeks, eventually becoming mud. They will disappear entirely in that timeframe and feed your lawn with additional nutrients as the plugs break down and get absorbed.
The divots created by the aeration process are a great way to get nutrients to your lawn. These tiny gaps make it easier for the grass to absorb things like fertilizer, oxygen, and, of course, water. It helps to think of the aeration process as a way of temporarily turning your grass into a giant sponge!
Why Aerate in the Spring?
Spring Aeration is most effective, particularly after a dry winter and during a dry spring. If it doesn’t get proper water, fertilizer, and oxygen, your lawn will have a tough time bouncing back from its winter dormancy period. If this happens, your yard will experience growth problems and even die if no intervention is taken.
Most people’s first reaction to dealing with a yard experiencing growth problems is heavy watering. While this is the right idea, too much water during watering sessions can have the opposite effect: flooding, disease, and death for your yard.
Regular, more moderate waterings might keep your yard damp enough to do the trick. However, this may not be enough if spring temperatures are hot. On top of this, regular lawn waterings are going to send your water bill through the roof!
Aeration makes regular watering sessions twice as effective, as the divots created by the process make it much easier for moisture to absorb into your lawn. It is a cheap and effective way to prevent drought from taking its toll on your grass investment!
Aeration is Seasonal
Experts will tell you the best time of year to aerate your lawn is in the Fall. However, the season for aeration differs greatly based on where you are in the world and your local climate. While the colder, moist conditions provided by Fall in the United States make aeration an easy and effective tool for obtaining excellent lawn health, the weather may decide otherwise. As we said above, when there’s a dry winter, spring is the perfect time to aerate and let your lawn absorb the spring showers.
Call Forest Green!
Aeration looks simple, but it is one of the most physically demanding things you can do in the yard. Aeration requires heavy equipment, which can be hard to work with if not appropriately trained. It is also not uncommon for people to destroy their in-ground sprinkler systems by accident.
Aeration is best left up to the professionals! We’ll decide when to aerate your lawn, and when the time comes, we’ll do it for you, so you don’t have to! Give Forest Green a call, or book an appointment online today!
