Lawn aeration, also known as core aeration, is a very important process that ensures you have a healthy lawn. Aeration involves running a core aerator over your lawn to pull soil plugs out of the ground. This will reduce soil compaction allowing the roots of your turf grass plant to breath. Roots require oxygen to grow and absorb nutrients and water. Compaction reduces total pore space and the amount of air within the soil. Below are a few reasons why your lawn benefits from core aeration:
- Improve air exchange
- Enhance soil water uptake
- Improve fertilizer uptake and use
- Reduce water runoff
- Stronger turf grass roots
- Reduced soil compaction
- Enhance heat and drought stress tolerance
- Improve resiliency and cushioning
- Enhanced thatch breakdown
When do I aerate my lawn?
For cool season grasses, like tall fescue, core aerification is done in the fall of each year. This is when cool-season turf grass plants are coming out of the summer dormancy and can begin a period of growth. Warm season grasses are aerated in the late spring to early summer as this is when warm season grasses are actively growing.