What is Core Aeration?

Introduction

Have you ever walked over your lawn and noticed a layer of dead grass and debris at the base of your lawn? Well, the name for that (sometimes thick) layer is called thatch. Thatch is an essential part of your lawn — it helps maintain soil moisture during dry weather, but when it becomes very thick or compacted, it can effectively suffocate your lawn. We typically remove thatch using a dethatcher, which helps remove a decent amount of thatch from your lawn, but heavily compacted lawns require an additional, more creative solution.

Aeration

Lawn aeration (using a core aerator) involves punching small holes in your lawn to help break up compacted soil. This effectively allows water, air, and nutrients to penetrate into the soil of your lawn and reach your lawn's root system. Grass areas that have a lot of foot traffic can benefit from more frequent aeration.

It is important that your lawn is aerated during its maximum growth period to ensure your lawn can fill in the small holes created by the aerator where it was passed. Medeiros and Son's Lawn Care uses a commercial-grade RYAN brand core aerator on our clients lawns.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I get my lawn aerated?

As a general rule and in our Canadian climate, we recommend that you get your lawn aerated with us in the early spring or fall. We may recommend a different time period depending on the type of grass you have, and whether or not there are high traffic areas.

Are there any other benefits to lawn aeration?

Although aeration is meant for compacted soil, it has the same essential benefits to dethatching:

• Improves the absorption of fertilzers

• Improves germination when it comes to over-seeding

• Helps prevent pools of water from accumulating on top of your soil