Aerating is an important part of the maintenance of a healthy lawn. It is the process of allowing air, water and nutrients to reach the roots of the grass. Using a manual lawn aerator is a simple way to ensure that your grass can keep growing.
Why aerate a lawn? Soil compaction is extremely detrimental to the health of grass. It is caused by a number of factors such as soil type or use of the area. As people walk on the grass the weight eventually causes the soil to be more compact. You can do a simple test to see if this is the case with your lawn. At one edge remove a small section of lawn to a depth of about the length of your shovel. If the roots of the grass are short, around two inches or less, then the soil is compacted.
Compacted soil is not the only reason to aerate your lawn. It also allows water to reach the roots of the grass by soaking into the soil more effectively. The roots are able to breathe better with the direct access of oxygen. Nutrients from rainwater and fertilizers can be accessed more easily by the roots. This is the best place for the nutrients to enter the plants rather than through the leaves. Healthy roots are vital to any tree or plant as these obtain the water and nutrients which join with the sunlight from the leaves to enable growth.
Aerating your lawn is a simple process, it is just a matter of creating small holes. There are two types of aerators and it is generally felt that the coring type is most effective. These produce a hole by removing a small area of soil like taking a core from an apple. The other types are spiked and push the soil down to create the hole.
The tools used to do this come in manual or powered form. A power aerator is most useful in locations with a large lawn covered area but a manual one is most suitable for most gardens. It usually has an small plate with two or four prongs to create the hole and a long handle so that you can use it whilst standing. You can plunge it into the ground with your foot.
The advantages of a manual aerator are control and convenience. Large power aerators can be hard to use and are heavy. You would also have to go to the expense of hiring one.
The best time of year to aerate your lawn is just before the main growing season. It works best when the soil is a little moist so you could give it a thorough watering a few days before if the weather is dry. It is best to avoid aerating after heavy rainfall as the soil will stick to the prongs on the aerator. You do not need to do it in the first year of the growth of a lawn after seeding. After that most advice states to aerate annually however this may not be necessary if the lawn is not used much.
Manual lawn aerators are a simple and efficient part of lawn maintenance. They will ensure healthy roots for your grass.
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