What does it mean to “aerate” your lawn, what does it achieve, and why should you do it?
A soil profile that is lacking oxygen is called anaerobic and can have a number of detrimental effects on your lawn. The first signs may be a yellowing of the leaf as the plants ability to absorb nutrients is diminished. In turn your lawn will start to wilt as the root system can no longer absorb water.
The soils underneath your lawn will have a natural tendency to become anaerobic due to the varying particle sizes and their drying nature, however they are also affected by compaction through regular mowing, watering and general use.
First things first, though. Many people think aerating and coring are exactly the same thing, but there are actually two types of aeration – “Solid tine” aeration and “Core” aeration.
Solid tine aeration is the process of punching solid spikes or prongs into the lawn to create holes, ostensibly to reduce compaction and allow air and water into your lawn’s profile and aid growth. Solid tine aeration is primarily for decompaction of the surface layer of your lawn and makes it a lot less anaerobic, creating a better environment for your roots and micro organisms to flourish.
Core aeration, on the other hand, uses a process where the spikes driven into the lawn are hollow, and remove plugs of soil with them when they come back up. This helps remove organic matter that has created a mat layer under the surface thatch and gives the soil profile much better access to water, air and nutrients. Coring is usually followed by a layer of sand spread over the surface to aid in levelling and maintaining the drainage pathways of your lawn.
Aeration should be an integral part of your annual lawn care program. At Positively Green we can help with aerating your lawn and your ongoing lawn health needs. Get in touch with us at www.positivelygreen.com.au
