![]() The spike aerator showed no effects on grass health. He found that the core aerator increased deep rooting and water extraction by 25 percent. Spike aerators insert narrow, solid rods into the earth. ![]() The hollow tines (sometimes called “spoons”) of a core aerator plunge into the ground and pull up a large plug of earth. Robert Carrow, University of Georgia turf expert, compared the effect of aerating with a “core” aerator versus a “spike” aerator. Bermuda, zoysiagrass and centipedegrass lawns are best to aerate in April – just as they have completed green-up, ready for vigorous growth. Fescue grass makes most of its productive growth in fall, so September and October are prime months to aerate fescue lawns. WHEN TO AERATE The best time to aerate a lawn is just before the grass begins to grow rapidly. If the plugs of soil on the surface are objectionable, let them dry a few days, then drag a 5′ by 5′ piece of carpet across the lawn to pulverize them.It, and every other square foot, should have 10-12 holes in it. Examine a square foot area of the lawn.Second, direct the machine back and forth at right angles to the first series of trips. First direct the machine over the entire lawn, going back and forth in one direction. Solid-tine spike aerators pulled by lawn tractors are of little benefit.The best aerator is one having hollow tines (spoons) which pull up plugs of earth as the machine travels along.Motorized aerator machines can be rented from hardware or tool rental stores. This allows water, oxygen and nutrients to better penetrate to the roots of your grass. Because the grass is weak, it may be susceptible to disease and insect damage.Īeration is the process of mechanically poking thousands of holes in the soil. The signs of compaction are tricky to detect: grass seems to be off-color, thinning and shows signs of stress in high temperatures. This causes roots to go deeper, making the lawn more resistant to drought and disease.Īccording to The Lawn Institute, over two-thirds of American lawns are growing on compacted soils. The holes allow oxygen and water to penetrate more deeply. The answer is to “aerate” the lawn – using a rented machine (an aerator) which pokes holes in the ground and loosens it. What can be done to loosen the earth in a lawn while avoiding extreme damage to the lawn grass? Digging up the whole lawn to soften the soil is usually out of the question. It is rained on, walked on, played on and mowed regularly. The soil under a lawn becomes harder and harder as the years pass. After a hot Southern summer, the earth can seem like it is made of bricks! The tiny clay particles are easily packed tightly together by rain and foot traffic. ![]() ![]() Anyone who has wielded a shovel in Atlanta knows that the soil usually contains a lot of clay. ![]()
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