What really is the purpose of aeration and is it really advisable to do every year or not?

Question

why and how so?

thanks for your answers!

Answer 1

Aeration is key to having a healthly turf.  Some of the benefits include:

1. Improved infiltration of irrigation water and fertilizer.

2. Improved gas exchange by roots (they need oxygen too!)

3. Relieve compaction from heavy play, maintenance equip, etc.

4. Removes thatch

5. Provides a good seedbed for overseeding (followed by topdressing with compost)

It's true that when you aerate, you open up the surface of your lawn for weed seeds,etc to settle in and germinate.  This can be avoided by seeding and lightly topdressing the seed with compost.  Otherwise, you may have to apply some weed-n' feed to wipe the slate clean.  

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Compacted soil is the reason you aerate -it opens the soil and allows for water to penetrate, but you have to actually get plugs out of the ground, not just poke a blunt tool in - that just makes it worse.  You can call you county extension office - they would be associated with you state university - and get some area specific information, maybe even a visit from a master Gardner.

Answer 3

seeds off other broad-leaf weeds create the problem not aerating. aeration gives much needed air to the soil, when aerating a lawn fill in (by brushing) holes with a mixture of grass seed and builders sand (coarse sand)

to keep your lawn in tip top condittion do it every September

Answer 4

depends on what kind of aeration your on about, there are lots of different applications aeration can be applied to such as liquids, garden lawns powders...etc...so more details needed i'm afraid

Answer 5

Aeration helps to get air down to the roots of your lawns, which is the typical plant type that is aerated, as well as allows you to infill the holes with a material that will aid drainage.  This is especially beneficial for lawns that are plagued with moss.  

Most of our land has tons of weed seeds ready to sprout.  Fresh bare soil, coupled with some water, will allow these seeds to germinate, and thus become a problem, unless they are treated.  They can either be removed by hand, or a weedkiller could be used - the choice is yours.  Weeds will be a regular pest on lawns,  and will move in everytime there is some open soil.  

Aeration is great if you soil gets compacted, waterlogged, and/or you have a moss problem.  It generally will improve the root strengh of grass, and thus the overall health and vitality of your lawn.  If you don't experience problems with your lawn, other than the weeds growing after aeration, then you could lay off from doing this as frequently as every year, or even omit it totally.  The choice is yours - aeration can be tough work, but I wouldn't continue it if my lawns didn't need it.

Selective broad leaved weed killers will kill broad leaved weeds but leave narrow leaved plants, such as grasses, unharmed (though don't use them on recently sown lawns).

Hope this helps. Good luck!  Rob

Answer 6

YOU NEVER NEED TO AREATE IF LAWN IS DRAINING OKAY

IF NOT DRAINING FAST ENOUGH THAN AREATING IS DAFT,AS THE HOLES GET SEALED UP AGAIN FAST.

SO YOU AREATE BY MAKING HOLES AND PUTTING IN LOTS OF SHARP SAND INTO HOLES.

AFTER YOU DO THAT,IT NEVER NEEDS DOING AGAIN,BUT MAKE A LOT OF HOLES

Answer 7

if you want to areate come on over to my lawn, it needs it bad, clay soil...bad stuff! and my lawn will love you for it I promise! (I am lazy haahaa!)

Answer 8

Loosens thatch, allows for better root development, Chemical application absorbtion (sp) and allows water to absorb into the grass better and not run -off.

Yards can be areated at anytime. I would avoid aerating during hot dry spells though. No need to put add'l stress on the yard. I Aerate 3 times a year. I can cause I have an aerator.   :>)

Spring and fall are the typical times to aerate. Spring as you are going into the growing season and it helps prepare your yard to accept water, loosen soil & thatch and absorb fertilizers. It also allows for rizome development. (offshoots of grasses from the roots)

Fall is typically a good time to overseed. It will also help with the rood development going into next spring. When you overseed, Believe it or not, your seed will fall into some of the holes left from aeration. They are kept cool and moist and tend to germinate well.

Broadleaf weeds develope from a thin, unhealthy yard and are transmitted through the air on windy days. Some larvae can enter the holes but as mentioned earlier, They can be controlled by a good post emergent weed killer. I use Trimac. It doesn't work real fast but works real good. Typically in 10 days, the weed is gone.

The best defense is a good healthy thick yard. The grass will choke out the weeds. If your yard is thin, the opposite will occure. Weeds will take over and choke out the grass.

Good idea in my opinion to aerate. Good luck.

Answer 9

Well I always believed it was to let air in under your lawn to clear up moss. Maybe I'm on the totally wrong track but if not, do it begining of the cutting season every year you feel  it needs it. Where I live last summer was really wet so have done my lawn once and think I'll do it again in a couple of months too.

No idea if that helped or not, S