Lawn Aeration

Hard ground makes for poor water penetration—even during hard rains or frequent watering. To fix this problem, the lawn needs to be aerated. Lawn aeration gives the soil more air, stimulating root growth. With proper root growth, grass, no matter the type, will be more robust and will withstand extreme conditions with less risk of dying off. Extreme conditions may include a few high-traffic days, pet urine or drought.

Aeration Process

The aerator digs holes in the ground, allowing more circulation and nutrient absorption. Nutrients, including potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus are important to the growth of grass. Phosphorus encourages root growth while potassium and nitrogen work together for increased foliage. There are different types of aerators—from aerator sandals worn when walking around the lawn to powered lawn aerators. Aerator sandals—plastic sandals with spikes protruding from the soles—are strapped to the homeowner’s feet, and then the homeowner walks around the lawn in neat lines. The spikes on the bottom of the sandals aerate the soil as the homeowner walks around the yard.

Types of Aerators

In addition to sandal aerators, there are two types of powered aerators—hole punchers and hole gougers. A hole puncher creates holes in the soil. The hole gouger pulls plugs of earth out of the soil. Hole gougers reduce compaction better than hole punchers, which means more oxygen, nutrients and water get into the soil.

No matter which type of aerator you use, aeration improves soil drainage and encourages worms, micro fauna and micro flora—these all require oxygen, which is forced into the soil through aeration. If the soil lacks oxygen, these important organisms cannot survive. The organisms create their own fertilizer, which is full of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

Added Aeration Benefits

Lawn aeration also controls thatch. Thatch is the layer of dead plant material and other organic matter that can lie on top of the soil. Thatch can build up over the season from mowing and leaf build up during the fall and winter. This deprives the lawn of oxygen and makes it difficult for water to seep into the soil to reach the roots. Compaction hinders rooting, and does not allow enough rain water to penetrate into the soil. Aeration loosens and removes thatch and loosens the soil, allowing water and nutrients to reach the deeper roots and allowing roots to grow deeper. This creates a healthy, green lawn.