Core Aeration Vs. Spike Aeration
Lawn grass roots suffer when soil becomes compacted due to heavy use or in wet or poorly drained areas. Compaction reduces air pockets in the soil, keeping oxygen from reaching grass roots. Without oxygen, grass cannot efficiently absorb nutrients and water. Also, the thick, compacted soil makes it harder for roots to grow. Two common remedies to compacted soil are core aeration and spike aeration, both of which aim to provide oxygen to grass roots. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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Core aeration machines are usually mechanical and feature hollow tines about 2 to 6 inches apart on a drum. As the aerator moves across a lawn, the tines remove 1/2- to ¾-inch diameter soil plugs that range up to 6 inches long. Lawns should have 20 to 40 plugs per square foot and may require multiple passes with a core aerating machine.
Spike aerators come in a variety of sizes, including large attachments that pull behind riding mowers, manual rolling aerators, shovel-sized aerators and spike-bottomed shoes. All spike aerators punch holes in the soil with solid spikes rather than remove plugs of soil like a core aerator.
Benefits
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Heavy clay soils, lawns that have a large amount of foot and vehicle traffic and lawns with more than a half-inch of thatch (the layer of grass clippings and stems that build up over time) can benefit from aeration. The process also helps increase the activity of soil microorganisms, which will break down excess thatch.
Core aeration lifts small sections of soil out of the ground and more efficiently provides air access to grass roots than spike aeration. Spikes actually push together the surrounding soil, resulting in greater compaction. Spike aerators, however, come in a variety of styles and can be less expensive than renting a core aerating machine or hiring a professional.
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Time Frame
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Lawns will recover more quickly from aeration when the grass is actively growing. For cool-season grasses, that time is in late August to mid-September. Warm-season grasses will benefit from aeration during their rapid growth period of July and August, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension website.
Considerations
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After core aeration, a lawn will appear unkempt for more than a week. Resist the urge to rake up and dispose of soil plugs. They will break down and provide nutrients to the underlying grass. Spike aeration does not result in unsightly soil plugs.
Expert Insight
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According to Iowa State University Extension specialists, spike aerators that punch holes in the ground can have the opposite effect of their advertised intention and actually result in a more compacted soil. They recommend renting a core aerator from a rental agency or contracting with a professional lawn company to perform core aeration.
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References
- Photo Credit grass,lawn image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
