Lawn Aeration

Hollow tine aeration is very effective on lawns suffering
from excessive thatch accumulation.

Lawns are quite similar to people in that they need air in order to survive and maintain good vigour. If there is a deficiency of air in the soil , then the health of the lawn is likely to suffer. Therefore it is important that the soil must be kept in good condition with routine aeration.

Reasons for aerating the lawn

• To relieve soil compaction. Over a long period of time the soil will become compacted. This is caused by people, machinery and other traffic on the surface of the lawn. This soil becomes compressed or compacted as the air is squeezed from the soil. Aerating the lawn can help rectify this problem by punching holes into the lawn to increase air space. Soil compaction is more problematic on clay soils than on light sandy soils.

• Improved rooting. Naturally, a soil that has adequate airspace is going to support a healthy root system. A good root system helps the grass withstand drought conditions as the roots are able to penetrate deeper into the soil. The roots can also tap into any available nutrients that may be present deeper down.

• Prevent the accumulation of thatch. Excessive thatch is one of the biggest culprits of poor lawn health. Thatch is a layer of organic matter that forms in the base of the lawn, between the grass and the soil. Too much thatch impedes drainage and restricts root growth resulting in poor growing conditions. A routine lawn aeration program can prevent and control thatch accumulation.

• Encourage a healthy population of micro organisms in the soil. Micro organisms or microbes are essential for a healthy lawn, as they break down thatch, help supress disease and  degrade soil toxins. These microbes thrive in soils that contain sufficient air movement. If air is lacking then they will slowly reduce in number and eventually dissappear.

• Improve drainage. Good drainage is very important to the overall health of the soil and lawn. If the water cant drain away then the soil remians wet and air is displaced, which in turn promotes poor rooting, encourages weed grasses and the build up of thatch.

• Improve gasseous exchange between the soil and atmosphere. Without good gaseous exchange and water movement the soil will simply stagnate, resulting in poor rooting,  and thatch build up.

• Promote deeper rooted grasses. If the soil is in healthy condition then this will help encourage and increase the amount of deeper rooted grasses within the lawn. These grasses require less maintenance as they can withstand drought conditons, are more resitant to diseases and in certain situations require less nutrient inputs to stay healthy.

As you can see from the reasons above if there is to be any chance of creating optimum growing conditons then a good lawn aeration program needs to be implemented. Without air in the soil then the battle will be lost right from the start.

Aeration machinery and implements

For the gardener there are various methods in which to aerate the lawn,  with a powered machine, a towed machine or a hand held implement.

• Powered lawn aerators. This type of lawn aerator is perfect for large gardens as they cover large areas in a short period of time. In most cases the tines are interchangeable. The obvious downside to this type of aerator is the cost, they are very expensive. It may be better to do a little detective work a see if a local garden center hires this type of machine.

• Tow behind aerators. These machines can be pulled behind a garden tractor to cover the lawn in a short period of time. On most of these aerators there is a weight tray, where weight can be added to help the tines penetrate into the soil. They are a cost effective alternative to powered lawn aerators. However they are not suitable for small lawns.

• Hand aerators. These type of lawn aerators range from push machines to a simple garden fork. They are ideal for small and tight lawns. Although they could be used on a large lawn, it would be very time consuming and labour intensive.

When to aerate the lawn

All lawns should be aerated at least once , preferable twice a year. The ideal periods for aeration are spring and autumn. Aeration should be incorporated into the spring and autumn lawn renovation programs, that can also include scarification, overseeding, moss and weed control and top dressing.

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5 Lawn Care Tips for a Healthier Lawn

Scarifying
The task of scarifying in lawn care is also known as commonly known as de-thatching or raking, all three are basically the same operation. Scarifying is carried out by a powered machine that has a series of vertical blades or tines mounted on a rotating shaft. These tines or blades rotate at great speed, and in doing so they slash/cut into the base of the lawn removing unwanted thatch and moss.

This operation should be carried out at least once a year, preferably twice a year, during the spring and autumn. If it only done yearly then autumn is the best time for scarifying, however is moss is a problem in the springtime, it will need doing again.

Scarifying is frequently carried out during the spring period

to remove dead moss from the lawn.

The main aim of lawn scarifying is to remove thatch from the lawn. Thatch is the build up of organic matter, caused by dead leaves, stems, roots of the grass plant. A little thatch is desirable for the lawn as it helps add wear tolerance and resiliance to the lawn.

However when it becomes too excessive it causes problems. These problems include poor rooting, resulting in weed grasses susceptible to drought conditions, poor drainage and an increase in weeds and disease. The end result is a weak lawn open to a host of lawn care problems.

Lawn aeration
Like people, lawns require air to breathe and remain in a healthy condition. If aeration is neglected then it is likeley the soil will become compacted, with the air being sqeezed from the soil resulting in poor growing conditions. This results in:

• Shallow rooted grasses that suffer in drought conditions.
• Poor drainage that encourages disease, moss, weeds etc.
• A lack of soil organisms and micro organisms. These organisms (which require air to survive) are important to the health of the soil as they break down organic matter, thus controlling the thatch layer in the lawn.

Lawn aeration should be carried out, at least once a year during the autumn. It is often included in the autumn lawn care renovation program, which also includes scarification, overseeding and top dressing. In severe cases of compaction it can also be carried out during the spring time too.

Lawn aeration can be undertaken with either a powered machine or a simple hand fork. The size of your lawn and your budget will determine which type you choose.

 A choice of tines are available for this task, including solid, slit and hollow tines, with each having their own benefits.

Correct use of fertilizer
It is true that grass requires nutrients to maintain optimum health. However it is important that it recieves the correct amount and the right types of nutrients at certain times of the year.

There a 3 key nutrients, nitrogen which encourages growth, phosphorous which encourages a strong root system and potasium which helps harden the plant against disease and other problems.

Nitrogen is applied during the growing season, never during the winter. Phosphorous and poptasium can be applied at any time, but are especially important during the winter months.

Almost all lawns will have different fertilizer requirements, due to different soil types, different climates and other influences. What is important is the lawn recieves just enough to maintain healthy and consistant growth.

Too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen can cause unwanted problems with thatch.

The correct use of water
Another important factor in lawn care is the correct use of water during hot and dry weather conditions. Too many people rush out with the sprinklers as soon as it turns dry and this can do more harm than good.

Keeping the lawn constantly soaked restricts soil air and encourages the build up of thatch, due to the lack of micro organisms.

Most lawns will tolerate a certain amount of drought stress and in fact it will benefit the lawn if the soil is allowed to dry out somewhat. Therefore water the lawn heavily and then let the soil dry out before applying more water. This practice encouarges deeper rooting.

If the lawn is watered every day the soil stays constantly wet, this creates shallow roots, disease problems and as previously mentioned the build up of thatch.

Another tip is to water during the coolest parts of the day, preferably early morning, prior to the hottest part of the day. Watering during the evening is also OK, but this can increase the risk of some lawn diseases, therfore moring is the prefered time.

Correct mowing regime
Another overlooked factor is the most common and simple task in lawn care, that of mowing the lawn. If done correctly it can make a difference to the lawn.

Starting with mower, it is important that the mower is sharp and cutting correctly. If the mower is blunt then it can tear and damage the grass.

The most important aspect of mowing is the cutting height. The shorter you mow the lawn the more stress is placed upon it. Although there isn't anything wrong with mowing your lawn short, be aware that it will require more maintence to keep it in tip top conditions.

Therfore in most cases it is important to adopt a sensible cutting height that will reduce the stress to the grass plant.

During the autumn lifting the height of cut on the mower will also help it during the winter months.

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