Fall is the best time to aerate your lawn!
What is lawn aeration?
Lawn aeration is the process of creating air channels in your lawn so that air can freely pass into the soil and circulate around the grass roots. This aeration is achieved by extracting small cylinder-shaped cores of existing soil and depositing them on the surface of the lawn.
Why do we need to aerate the lawn?
Over time the soil that your lawn grows in can become compacted due to a number of reasons such as use for sports, walking, children playing and equipment usage. Soil compaction can have a negative effect on your lawn. The damage to your lawn from soil compaction results from the pore spaces within the soil becoming smaller which leads to a reduced amount of air held in the soil, restricted air flow and reduced water and nutrient infiltration into the soil.
Soil compaction results in:
• Reduced air levels and restricted circulation in the soil
• Decreased levels of nutrient uptake
• Reduced water penetration into the soil. Roots will not develop as deeply and will be more at risk from drought and other environmental stresses
• Greater resistance against the roots as they try to develop to greater depths.
Poor development of roots will result in poor lawn conditions.
Other factors besides soil compaction that require lawn aeration:
• Aeration to help break down the thatch. This process occurs as the cores of soil that are left on the lawn surface introduce soil micro organisms into the thatch layer. These micro-organisms breakdown the layer of thatch and return nutrients to the soil.
• Lawn aeration may be necessary on heavy clay soils to help soil air circulation and water filtration.
How does lawn aeration benefit my lawn?
Lawn aeration has a number of benefits including:
• Relieves soil compaction allowing grass roots to expand
• Enhanced water infiltration into the soil and to greater depths
• Increased water, oxygen and nutrient uptake by the grass roots
• Improved development of roots to greater soil depths
• Breakdown and decomposition of thatch
• Prevents the loss of valuable fertilizers due to run off from compacted areas
• Aerator holes create a moist, protected environment for seedling growth
Research on lawn aeration
https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/new-aerating-your-lawn-ksre-publication/
https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF2130.pdf
Paramount recommends annual fall lawn aeration and overseeding. Contact us for additional information or to schedule your lawn aeration and overseed for this fall to help ensure a beautiful lawn for next year.
Call (913) 375-1697 or submit the form below to get scheduled!