Aeration and Lime
A winning combination in the Fall
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There is a great deal of concern about thatch
build-up in lawns, as there should be. In the
northeastern United States, many new lawns at high-end
residential properties are sodded in the front, and
seeded on the back and side lawns.
The primary grass in most sod is Kentucky Bluegrass, due
to its dense root growth that knits and holds the sod
together with roots called rhizomes. Unfortunately,
bluegrass is known to develop thatch problems without
regular aeration. |
Even though it is best to get a soil test to determine
lime needs, most homeowners can safely apply a light
application of agricultural lime in conjunction with
aeration. The holes opened up by a plug-pulling machine
(core aerator) create quick passage for lime into the
lawn's rootzone. Whatever lime remains on the lawn
surface will help reduce thatch by raising its pH level.
Even when soil pH levels are in the right range, a
thatch layer can be acidic and resistant to
decomposition.
 What
is a light application of lime? Ten to fifteen pounds
per 1,000 square feet would be a light application. For
those who haven't limed in 5 years or more, and live in
areas where lime applications are required, a full rate
of lime would be 50 lbs per 1,000 square feet. Most
agricultural lime is calcium carbonate, but some stores
also carry dolomite lime, which is higher in magnesium.
If you have a soil test indicating more of a need for
magnesium than calcium, buy the dolomitic lime.
While powdered forms of lime were the only option in the
past, pelletized lime has become more readily available.
Powdered lime is reformed into easy to spread pellets.
Even though pelletized is more expensive than powdered
forms, it is usually worth the extra cost in time
savings and ease of application, since you can use a
rotary spreader for the application.
 Getting
back to those soil cores that were scattered all over
the lawn by aeration, be sure to leave them on the lawn
surface to breakdown naturally. The microbes in the soil
help with thatch decomposition, and the "plugs" are
usually gone within 3 to 4 weeks anyway. The combination
of the soil cores and the light app of lime will help
reduce thatch build-up. I recommend aeration every year,
with fall being the best time.
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