|
 What's
the big secret to aerating, and how
does it really work?
And,
why won't my gardener aerate my lawns?
Most
people think that aerating works because it makes holes that water can
penetrate or that it increases the surface area of the lawn. This may
be true to a small degree, but here's how aerating really
works:
Clay
soil
compacts during the winter when it rains, then it compacts again during
the summer when there's not as much water. That's why clay actually
sinks in winter and cracks in summer. When soil compacts, the air
spaces are reduced and soil pressure increases. Over time, soil
compaction can prevent even the most aggressive roots from penetrating.
Each
year, up to 80% of
lawn roots die back, and the grass tries to grow new roots. This is
especially true of younger, thinner roots. There are two times roots
reach out: in the spring and again in the fall. If the soil is
compacted,
these new roots can't displace the soil because it's already compacted
and have nowhere to go. Roots then grow
shallow and hair-like, making more thatch and requiring a lot more
water. Eventually the lawn must be replaced.
Have you
ever transplanted a plant that outgrew
its pot?
After transplanting to a larger pot, the plant usually grows much
better almost immediately. Why?
The answer isn't because new roots grew; it's because the soil in
the pot now has room to expand. Roots push and expand only as
much as soil pressure allows. The smaller pot prevented the roots from
expanding.
Aerating
(removing plugs of soil) is the only way
to deal with
soil compaction. Here's how it works: Imagine, you swing a pickaxe
into a lawn three inches deep. Then, you pull out the pickaxe, leaving
a hole. But where did the dirt go? Well, it
got pressed down and to the sides, and now the soil is much denser and
compacted. Do that all over your lawn.... (please, please don't do
that!)
Now,
instead of a pickaxe, imagine using a 3/4" hollow tube to pull a core
of dirt out, leaving
a hole. Then, make similar holes all over the lawn; let's say, every
four or five inches apart. This makes thousands of holes, where the
soil pressure
is ZERO. So, as the lawn's roots expand, the dirt
where there are no
holes has a place to go -
it moves sideways, slowly filling the holes left from aerating. That's
why aerator sandals (and pickaxes) do more harm
than good! Because the soil is "on the move," the holes are gone in
about six months, which is why the
aerating is recommended every six months. Some people aerate every
three or four months because their lawns are sloped and/or contain
heavier clays.
 What
are
the
options?
You'd
expect that your gardener would aerate for you, but there's an obstacle
that keeps almost all gardeners from aerating.
Gardeners don't aerate
because the aerating machine costs over $3000 and are used
only twice a year.
Even renting one is very expensive. Do the math. If
you
spent $3000, used it twice a year, how much would you need to charge
for each lawn, and when would you break even?
We keep hearing about
gardeners who promise to aerate just to get the job, then it's like
pulling teeth to get them to do it. In fact, about 90% of the people
who initially told us their "new" gardener would aerate later told us
of delays, procrastination, and prices that were twice ours.
 You
can buy a hand-aerator that pulls cores as you step on it. It takes
several days to do the average lawn this way. Hand aerators can cause
hand blisters and sometimes cause foot injuries such as bone bruises.
The
best way to aerate your lawn is to have an experienced professional do
it, using a power-driven aerating machine that pulls cores.
You
could rent a machine and do it yourself, or even involve neighbors to
reduce the cost. Sometimes this works, but when it doesn't, it can be a
disaster. One man told us that he was out of work for months because
he'd injured his back using a rented lawn aerating machine.
Another
guy
said he'd organized an "aerating party," did the work himself and
collected enough to get his lawn done for free. The problem arose when
three of the five houses had broken sprinklers from the inexperienced
operator. It wasn't so cheap
then, was it?
Some
people say they have a liquid aeration solution (if you'll pardon the
pun) to the soil compaction issue. Most of these liquids appear to be
wetting agents, which help water penetration but do nothing to actually
relieve soil pressure, which limits root depth in clay soil. While a
lawn may improve after wetting agents are applied, it's not an
alternative to core aeration because it does not affect soil pressure.
Who
has their lawns aerated?
Golf
courses aerate their lawns regularly, especially the tees where
everyone must pass through a small area, many wearing cleats, causing
compaction because cleats displace soil. Greens on golf courses are
aerated regularly too.
Stadiums,
parks, cemeteries, churches, schools, office complexes, hospitals,
apartment complexes, homeowners associations, all those who have lawns
benefit from lawn aeration.
Individuals who aerate
their lawns are
homeowners and renters who must care for their lawns, pay for their
water, and want to conserve by minimizing the amount of water used on
their lawns without sacrificing the quality of their lawns.
Most people realize that lawn maintenance is more than mowing and
watering and that there are standard practices that can extend the
life of their lawns, and most people are aware that aerating is part of
regular lawn maintenance.
What can I expect from aerating?
Most
lawns respond well to aerating, producing more growth, deeper
roots, and more shoots that tend to fill in small bald areas. It is
best to fertilize when you aerate or within several weeks of aerating
because it stimulates the roots to expand at the most opportune time.
You
should expect improvement in your lawn within about three weeks from
service, provided that fertilizer was applied within several weeks of
aeration. Unless your lawn is currently dormant, your lawn should be
greener and growing more. It should be thicker too. Water should be
penetrating deeper by now, and penetration should increase as the holes
slowly
close over the next four to six months.
If
there
were dead or bare areas (that were not caused by previous grub damage)
in your lawn before
aerating, you should not expect aerating to fill them in, especially if
the bald or dead areas are bigger than about four inches. Most dead
areas have only two potential causes; grub damage or annual weeds like
crabgrass.
If
there
were weeds in your lawn before aerating, expect them to be happy about
it too. Aerating improves the whole environment, so everyone digs it.
If you have weeds, use a weed killer to control them, or seek
alternative remedies on the Internet. Dealing with weeds is part of
lawn
maintenance and protecting your investment.
If
there is insect damage from the past (or ongoing), don't expect
aerating to revive dead grass. Insect damage is usually fatal to
affected plants, and aerating will only affect plants that are still
alive. To learn more about brown spots and insects, read the "Watch For
Damage" paragraph in The 7 Rules
For Lawn Care.
What
else does aerating do?
Aerating
helps with carbon
sequestration and oxygen production
because a healthy lawn 50' x 50' absorbs vast quantities of C02 and
gives off
enough oxygen for a family of four's daily needs. A green lawn also
cools the
interior of the house by as much as 15 degrees in hot weather.
A
green lawn and
landscape adds to a
property's value by as
much as
15%. Since a lawn is so much a part of many landscapes, aerating
regularly certainly makes sense.
Aerating
makes lawns more
drought-resistant, saving water and increasing your lawn's ability to
store
water.
Lawns are healthier when they are aerated regularly. Lawns that
have deeper roots require less water. In clay soil, aerating is not an
option; it's a necessity.
Click HERE for aerating
rates.
Click HERE
to learn why you should not
rake the cores.
Questions about your lawns? Call Green Lawns at 1-800-281-6482 or click
HERE
for free advice.
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