About Aerating a Lawn
Lawn aeration is an important step in proper lawn maintenance. The basic aerating process, which is generally done with a specialized piece of equipment called a lawn aerator, yields many benefits and will usually improve the grass quality. Despite this fact, many lawns are aerated infrequently, if at all. Does this Spark an idea?
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Function
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Lawn aerating is generally done with a lawn aerator. Lawn aerators are run over the surface of the grass, like a lawn mower, but instead of cutting the grass they remove small cylinders of dirt and grass from the lawn and shoot the cylinders up on top of the lawn. The cylinders that are removed by the lawn aerator are generally referred to as "cores" or "soil plugs." The removed cores can be left on the grass surface of the lawn and will act as a fertilizer as they decompose.
Time Frame
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The time frame regarding how often a lawn should be aerated differs depending on several variables. Lawns that are heavily compacted (tightly packed, with little space in the soil for air) or that contain a thick layer of thatch need to be aerated more frequently than standard lawns. For most average lawns, aerating once each year or once every other year will probably be sufficient. For heavily compacted or thatched lawns, however, aerating should probably occur twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.
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Size
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The size of the lawn-aerating equipment and of the "cores" of lawn differ greatly from machine to machine. Most lawn aerators are roughly equivalent in size to a large lawn mower and generally function similarly to a push mower. Larger, powered lawn aerating equipment does exist, but isn't really necessary for most homeowners or for small-scale use.
The size of the removed cores of soil, the ones that are removed during the lawn aerating process, can vary a great deal. Some lawn cores are as little as 3/4 of an inch long and quite small in diameter while others range up to 6 inches long and nearly an inch in diameter. As might be expected, the larger cores are better for highly compacted lawns or lawns displaying a lot of thatch. Smaller cores should be good enough for most standard lawns, but for the average homeowner it's probably best to choose a moderate core size that falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum (2-inch-long cores of 1/2 inch diameter is fairly standard).
Geography
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Geography does play a part in the lawn aerating process. Those who live in wetter climates will probably experience more soil compaction than those who live in drier climates. Because of this, the wetter the local climate is, the more frequently one should aerate his lawn. Also, in places that have a longer growing season (usually geographical locations closer to the equator), more lawn thatch will tend to accumulate. These higher-thatch climates also increase the need for frequent lawn aerating.
Benefits
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The benefits of aerating your lawn are numerous. Aeration will help eliminate thatch. It will also help combat the effects of soil compaction and improve soil quality in poor-soil lawns. Aerating your lawn will also help your grass to establish a good, strong root system. Properly rooted lawns will be healthier, stay green with less watering, and survive harsh winters better than lawns with a poor root system. Also, lawn aeration tends to lessen the effects of water runoff during watering, which means you'll save money on water.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Michael Ploujnikov, Wikimedia Commons
