Let’s be honest: growing a beautiful lawn takes effort.
In addition to mowing, watering your lawn and choosing the best types of grasses, your lawn also requires aeration. (Have you had enough of gas? These are electric lawn mowers we recommend.)
Understanding what aeration is and why your lawn benefits from it requires a quick refresher on soil science.
Ideally, soil should contain a balance of small pores that hold water and large pores that hold oxygen. “Over time, the soil becomes compacted, which limits the amount of oxygen accessible to the grass roots,” says Clint Waltz, PhD, a turfgrass specialist at University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Aeration opens up the soil and creates large pores that air can fill so the roots can breathe, which stimulates new growth.”
Here’s everything you need to know about when and how to aerate your lawn:
How do I know if my lawn needs aeration?
There is no one-size-fits-all guide, but lawn care experts tend to recommend aerate every few yearsespecially if you have heavy soil or a lot of activity on the lawn, such as children playing, animals running along a fence, or vehicle traffic.
A simple test is to take a screwdriver and try to push it into the ground about 3 to 4 inches deep – the depth at which most grass roots grow.
If it’s easy to do, your lawn is probably fine. But if you have to work to drive the screwdriver into the lawn, it’s probably time to aerate, Waltz says.
What is the best aerator for my lawn?
There are generally two types of aerators for sale: spiked aerators And central vents.
Without a doubt, a central vent (also called a hollow tooth aerator) is better for your lawn, says Waltz.
These types of aerators have hollow tines that sink into the ground and lift up small rounded caps a few centimeters long. A motor drives the tines into the ground, pulls out the plugs and deposits them on the lawn surface.
These plugs can be left to decompose or raked up and removed. Small holes left in the lawn allow more oxygen to reach the roots.
This method also helps remove thatch, the brown layer of grass and undecomposed plant matter through which grass grows. This thatch also inhibits the movement of air and water.
(Note: If dethatching is one of your goals, don’t let the cores decompose, says Waltz. You’ll want to remove them.)
Spiked aerators (also called solid tooth aerators) do not work as well.
They are made of solid pieces of metal, like the tines of a fork. This type of aerator does not have a motor, but is instead pulled behind a riding mower or pushed across the lawn. Solid tine aerators penetrate the ground using gravity to drill holes straight down.
Although they make holes in your lawn, they are much less effective.
Solid tine aerators “really compress the soil,” says Waltz. “It opens some pores, but it’s not very beneficial because it compacts the soil on the sides and bottom of the hole. The tines simply leave “dimples” on the surface of the lawn. This method will also not help you dethatch your lawn.
The essential : “Strong tooth aeration will give you some benefit, but it is very short-lived,” says Waltz. Central ventilation is more effective and studies show that the effects also last longer.
Do liquid aeration products work?
Liquid aeration products, which you spray on your lawn, do not replace central aeration to relieve soil compaction. “These products may contain a surfactant or wetting agent and a nitrogen source,” says Waltz. “After you spray it, you will probably see a greening reaction and think the product has had a positive effect, but these products do not allow more oxygen to get into the root zone.”
The same goes for these crampon shoes, which compact the soil and can even cause more Shame.
I can’t afford a central vent. Should I rent an aerator or hire someone to aerate my lawn?
Central vents cost thousands of dollars, so purchasing one is not economical for most people. Although you can rent a central aerator and try to do it yourself, the equipment is bulky, heavy and doesn’t turn easily, Waltz says.
This is the time when you’re probably better off hiring a professional lawn service. Lawn contractors typically charge only a few hundred dollars and will get the job done quickly and efficiently.
Make sure the contractor uses a central aerator and ask when the teeth, which are replaceable, were last replaced.
“Remember that the goal is drill holes 3 to 4 inches deep in the root zone to be most effective,” says Waltz. “If the equipment has been used on 50 lawns or sandy soil before yours,” you will need to request tine replacement.
“These teeth wear out quickly. You want to know that those 3 inch teeth haven’t been worn down to 2 inch teeth.
Can you aerate a wet lawn?
You don’t want to aerate a lawn that’s too dry, especially on clay or silt, because the tines won’t penetrate to the depth you need, Waltz says.
But you don’t want it to get wet either. Instead, wait a day or so after irrigating or having rain, then aerate.
Is too much aeration bad for your lawn?
Usually no, but it depends on the type of grass you have. (Here is our favorite types of grass for your lawn.) With grasses like Bermuda fescue, Kentucky blue and tall fescue, which spread by rhizome or underground stems, you probably won’t damage them with frequent aerating.
But you might overuse aeration with grasses that spread by stolons or creeping stems above the ground, like centipede grass. “You might create too many holes and large voids that won’t fill quickly,” says Waltz.
When should I aerate my lawn?
Aerate when grass is actively growing. For warm season grasses, this is when soil temperatures reach 65 degrees and rise, which is between May and the end of August. For cool season grassesthat’s when soil temperatures reach 55 degrees, which is mid to late spring and early to mid fall, Waltz says.
Arricca Elin SanSone wrote on health and lifestyle topics for prevention, country life, Women’s Day, etc. She is passionate about gardening, baking, reading and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.