Using a tow behind turf aerators to loosen the soil compaction of your lawn and allow water and nutrients to penetrate the soil is a great way to ensure your grass stays healthy and green. An aerator is simple to use, and you can rent one at an equipment rental or buy one that is reasonably priced to use every spring.
Aeration Benefits
Your lawn can have trouble absorbing water, fertilizer, air, and other nutrients because the soil will compact over time. Running a tow behind a turf aerator over the soil will help loosen it and allow it to better absorb the things it needs.
The aerator uses small plug tines that push into the soil and remove a small round plug, leaving a hole a few inches deep. The hole allows water and other nutrients to penetrate the surface and get under the grass to enrich the soil and give you a healthier lawn.
If you combine your aerating with fertilizing and applying other nutrients to the grass, you can take advantage of the holes, so your lawn care chemicals do not just sit on the surface. The number of holes per square foot and the pattern used can be different depending on your lawn needs, but often you can have a landscape or lawn service look at it and give you an idea of what would be best for your situation.
Professional Aerating
If you are not ready to take on aeration yourself, you can hire a lawn service to come to do the work for you. Most of these services will use a tow-behind turf aerator that allows them to cover a lot of ground very quickly. Large yards may require a larger machine, but aeration can be completed at high speed compared to other services, so an acre an hour is not unheard of.
Once the lawn service has finished the aeration for you, they can add fertilizer and other spray-on nutrients to the lawn to help it grow. It is vital to discuss what will be used with the service before you have them spray or spread anything on the grass. If there are products you do not want them to use, let them know so that they can suggest alternative options for your situation.
When To Aerate
Aeration is most effective when it is done in the early spring or the late fall. The grass should still be in the growing cycle, so it takes up the nutrients available after you run a tow behind the turf aerator over the surface. Don't wait until late Fall or else the grass may already be dormant, and you will be wasting the materials you are spreading on the lawn.
If you can't aerate in the spring, try and get the work done after the summer temperatures start to drop and the cool weather sets in, but before the ground gets too cold.
Share8 February 2022
When you think about gardening, what does not always immediately come to mind is all the supplies and tools you need to engage in this hobby. From rakes to shovels, you need some equipment just to prepare the soil. Then, when the plants are in the ground, you need either a hose or an irrigation system, plus a hoe to keep weeds tilled under. With the right equipment and supplies, you can have a bountiful garden that feeds not only your family, but also the neighbors. Read more about gardening supplies here on this website, where we have a collection of articles on the topic.
