How a Lawn Core Aerator Works
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Aeration
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Many lawns are aerated to improve lawn health and encourage new grass growth. Lawns that are frequently used can become pressed down and matted, and grass that grows thickly together can have problems with draining. Eventually, overgrown lawns will begin to interconnected their roots on the surface of the soil, creating more severe drainage problems and becoming easier prey for insects and diseases. Aerating attempts to solve these problems by stabbing holes at regular intervals into the lawns, giving the grass room to expand and grow naturally. There are many different ways of doing this. Some devices simply cut spaces into the lawn to spread out the grass roots. Other devices, like the lawn core aerator, work by actually removing small plugs throughout the lawn, digging down and taking out chunks of grass and soil.
Core Aerators
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The core aerator is a machine guided by hand in a similar manner to a lawnmower. This machine inserts small metal prongs or tubes into the ground and plucks out the plugs of soil, which are then deposited in a bag or some carrying compartment. According to LawnCare.net, this not only removes excess growth, but also gives the soil a chance to take in more oxygen, which the grass roots can then absorb. Some lawn aerators do not have compartments to store the plugs, and leave them scattered on the lawn, so they must be raked up and disposed of. Some people leave the plugs out to be dissolved back into the lawn. Many landscaping services and stores have core aerators available for rent. They are either rented by the hour or by the day.
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Additional Information
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Aerating, despite its usefulness, is a very destructive process, and the lawn must be carefully taken care of afterward. Spring and fall are regarded as the best time to aerate, and it is good to fertilize lawns immediately afterward to encourage healthy growth. Reseeding is also very common, to add new grass into the mix and help the lawn develop new growth. Blades Lawn Care also suggests keeping the plugs, grinding them up, and working them back into the soil for added garden fertilizer.
Most aerators take out plugs depending on how they are set to function. Most lawns benefit from plugs being taken out every 4 to 6 inches, according to the Plugr company. Regular aeration (every year or so) decreases the need for close-together plug settings.
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