For the most part, homeowners shouldn’t need to dedicate too much time to lawn care. A little bit of TLC at the changing of the seasons is often all it takes to sustain its quality and keep it looking lush and healthy. However, if there’s one thing you should think about doing, it’s aerating your lawn. Why Should I Aerate My Lawn? Read on to find out.
What is Lawn Aeration?
Before you find out why lawn aeration is essential, it’s a good idea to discover what it is first. You can then decide whether it’s a lawn care option that can suit your property. Lawn aeration is the process of putting holes in your lawn to allow air, water, and nutrients to get where they are needed the most.
You can use a garden fork or even purchase special footwear with spikes to get the job done quicker. Lawn aeration is also a process that lawn care experts can take care of with the use of proper aeration equipment.
Compact Soil
One of the primary reasons why lawn aeration is necessary is due to compaction. Compact soil can be caused by one section of your lawn getting a lot of heavy use. For example, the kids might use it to play a game of rugby, or it might be a common foot traffic area to get to your washing line. Once rain falls, any air pockets that may have been there to aid in root growth are now filled.
Compact soil can wreak havoc on a healthy lawn, stunting its growth and stopping the roots from growing long and healthy. Aeration can relieve the compaction and allow your grass to make use of fertiliser and water.
Thatch
Thatch is organic living and dead material that forms on top of your grass. To a degree, it’s beneficial for your lawn, but only if it does not exceed around 10-12 mm. If your grass feels spongier than normal then thatch could be a problem. Once you have enough of it, you can notice that your grass isn’t able to access the light, water, and air it needs to thrive and survive.
Taking care of thatch is paramount for your lawn’s survival. Once you aerate your soil, the organisms in the soil can break it down and stop it from forming such a dense layer on the top.
Grass Resilience
Living in Australia can be quite challenging when it comes to grass growth. The climate is far hotter than many other parts of the world, and grass can suffer in the scorching hot summer sun.
Lawn aeration may not be able to keep your grass alive when drought conditions have it firmly in its grasp, but it can only but help with strategic aeration holes. Your lawn can have far better drought and heat tolerance than grass that’s suffering from compaction.
Lawn care may not be your favourite thing to do, but it can be a necessary one. If the changing of the seasons has motivated you to get your lawn in tip-top shape, then start with lawn aeration. Take control of the task yourself or hire a lawn care expert who will be more than happy to do it for you.