Lawn Aeration
 One
of the best maintenance procedures you can perform on your lawn is core aeration.
The open holes speed fertilizer
and lime into the lawn's root zone. Aeration also reduces compaction, improves
rooting and helps control thatch.
Northeastern US lawns benefit greatly from
at least one aeration per year. Aeration is best done when the grass is actively growing
in the Spring or Fall.
Fall is the best time to aerate
your lawn, which is September in the Northeastern US. Try to aerate when the
soil is moist but not overly wet for the best "plugs." Leave the
soil cores on the lawn to breakdown on their own, since this also
helps reduce thatch build-ups. They usually disappear on their own
within a few weeks.
Saving Money on Aeration
You can rent a walk-behind machine that removes small soil cores of soil from
your lawn. Neighbors will find it beneficial to split the cost of an
aerator rental and do several neighborhood lawns in one day.
If you are physically unable to run an aerator, most lawn and landscape
services provide lawn aeration as a regular service. An average 8,000
square foot lawn usually costs $100 or less.
What
to Avoid
Some areas of your lawn
may prove difficult or impossible to aerate. These areas would include
ones that are difficult to access, too steep or are full of surface
roots from large trees. It's also very important to stay away
from "electric dog fence" wiring since it is usually just a few inches
below the soil surface and can be easily cut by a penetrating aerator
tine.
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This electric dog fence was flagged following installation.
Once the flags are gone it's very easy to forget where the
shallow wires are located. Cutting these wires while
aerating will create added expense and aggravation. |
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