If you’re in the process of renovating your yard, there are three simple steps you can take in order to make sure that your yard is green, healthy, and beautiful. Complete turf renovation is only three steps away!
- Dethatching
- Aerating
- Overseeding
Last week, we talked about the importance of dethatching your yard. After your yard is free from excess thatch, the next step on our to-do list is aerating. In this article, we’ll get into what aerating consists of, why you should aerate your yard, and how to aerate properly.
Aerating your yard is quite possibly the most important component of getting a beautiful, green yard. Over time, your lawn experiences a great deal of heavy use and compaction. Because the soil is gradually becoming more and more compacted, most lawns benefit from aerating at least once a year.
Aerating your yard reverses the effects of compaction by making many small holes in your turf. There are two common types of aerators: spike aerators and plug aerators. Spike aerators consist of many small spikes that cut tiny holes in turf, while plug aerators cut larger, deeper holes and remove larger chunks of soil (or plugs.) Both types of aerators are available in either walk-behind (for smaller areas) or tow behind models (for larger yards.)
Why should you aerate?
When soil becomes compacted, it makes it harder for your soil to receive necessary things like water, air, and nutrients. Your soil’s ability to breathe properly is one of the most important aspects of healthy growth. When you aerate your yard, you are removing the pressure that keeps your yard from breathing properly.
Aerating your yard increases the amount of nutrients and oxygen the root system takes in, allowing your yard to grow thick and healthy. Because of this, aerating stimulates root growth, which improves the overall health and look of your grass. After aerating, you will certainly be able to tell a difference in the density of your grass. It will also give it a rich, deep green color.
How to Aerate
When aerating your grass, it is best to make sure that the soil is moist. This will not only make it easier to aerate, but it will also allow the tines to penetrate the soil deeper. So make sure to aerate after a light rain, or even water your lawn the day before.
After your yard is watered and ready to be aerated, go over your entire yard with an aerator. Right after your yard is aerated is a great time to overseed it. This makes sure that grass seeds penetrate the soil and germinate properly. Whether you choose to overseed or not, after aerating, be sure to water your yard again the day after.
The best time to aerate your yard depends on the type of grass and which climate zone you are in. For warm season grasses like Bermuda grass, the best time to aerate is the late spring or early summer. On the other hand, for cool season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass and Perennial Ryegrass , aerating your yard in the early fall is ideal. This will help ensure that aeration occurs during times of most active growth in your yard.
Mutton Power Equipment in Fort Wayne, Indiana has a wide variety of turf renovation tools to help you achieve lush, beautiful grass. We’re here to help you every step of the way!
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