Core Aeration: What is and How Can It Help My Lawn?

When you think of your lawn, you should treat it like your car. As the seasons pass, and cooler weather starts to move in, there are specific upkeep requirements and maintenance that arise, such as investing in an oil change or tire rotation. When it comes to your lawn, one of the necessary upkeep items is to invest in fall lawn aeration. All the summer, warm days spent running around and enjoying the yard with your pets and kids were fun, but a lot of foot traffic can result in soil compaction.

The best option for removing heavy thatch and to remedy soil compaction while maintaining a healthy lawn is to invest in core aeration services. Some of the specific benefits offered by this service are found here.

Improves Turf Health

One of the main benefits offered by lawn aeration is that it will help improve the health of your grass. With core aeration, the root zone receives better access to water, air, and fertilizer. This increased access to water, nutrients, and air will improve the health of your turf, and result in deeper and more extensive turfgrass roots.

The Reduced Build-Up of Thatch

Thatch is the dead layer of grass that often accumulates on a lawn. It can build up and become a thick layer, robbing your grass of the needed nutrients and water. With core aeration, you can easily manage this build-up by moving the decomposing microorganisms from the soil into the thatch layer.

Eliminate Soil Compaction

If soil is compacted, it will prevent water, air, and fertilizer from reaching the root system in the lawn, which can cause patches, thinning, or dead spots. When cores are removed through the aeration process, the soil density is reduced, which will relieve compaction.

pH Modification Benefits

Applying Sulphur or lime after the core aeration process helps to promote the change of pH deep into the soil profile. This allows nutrients to move deeper into the root zone and makes them available to the turf.

Benefits Overseeding

It has been proven beneficial to core aerate your lawn before and after you seed it. The soil cultivation process will enhance seed-topsoil contact, which is a necessary part of germination. It will also create a protected, moist environment to ensure optimal seedling development and growth.

Reduced Puddling and Runoff

If you have discovered there is runoff in your yard, or if there are puddling problems after it rains, then aeration may be the only fix you need. If you aren’t sure, ask your professional landscape service provider.

Prepare the Grass for Winter and Spring

Before your cool-season grass goes into the dormant state, be sure it is in good condition by pairing aeration and fertilization services. By aerating the soil before you fertilize, it can help ensure the nutrients soak in more effectively. Also, by planning for fertilization and aeration during the fall months, it gives your cool-season grasses a buffer to help protect them from the stress caused by a drought.

What Exactly is Core Aeration?

Now that you are aware of all the benefits it offers, you need to take a closer look at what the core aeration process is. With this process, a landscape professional will remove soil cores using an aeration machine. The displaced soil will then disintegrate, creating a topdressing for your lawn. Over time, the cores are broken down into your lawn thanks to the rain, your irrigation system, and your lawnmower.

If you are interested in core aeration services, be sure to find the right landscape professional. They will evaluate the current state of your lawn and make recommendations regarding what needs to be done to keep it healthy. In most cases, core aeration will be a recommended process for lawns that are compacted or that have a significant layer of built-up thatch. Scheduling an appointment for service is the best way to figure out if this is a service that is needed.