Aeration is a very simple concept, but there are many positive reasons to complete aeration on your lawn. Lawn aerators are used for three main things. The three most significant benefits you will see from lawn aeration is a reduction in the compaction of the soil, helping grassroots multiply, and reducing lawn thatch.  

There are several types of aerators, and there is a process for completing your aeration that you should follow rather closely. Completing this process at the right time of the year, when your lawn needs it the most, could significantly improve your lawn’s overall health. 

Types of Aerators

There are two main types of lawn aerators on the market. They are spike aerators and core aerators.

Spike Aerator

With a spike aerator, you will have spikes or holes placed in your lawn at consistent intervals. Not turf is pulled up as the spike aerators are just a hole being punched in the ground. With the spike aeration, the holes will fill in rather quickly, and this is the best method of choice when you have sandy soils.

Core Aerator

The other type of aerator, the core aerator, will pull an actual plug or core of dirt and grass from your lawn. When you use a core aerator, this is considered a deeper and more effective aeration; however, not all lawns need this type of aeration. The more compact and heavy your soil is, the better it is to use the core aerator.

Power vs. Manual Aerator

Aerators for your lawn can be both manual or power operated. If you have a decent sized piece of land, you are going to need a power aerator. The manual process takes quite a bit of time as a person has to drive the spikes into the ground, pull up, and then place it down again. With a manual aerator, you can use machine power to drive the tool into the ground and complete large areas of aeration in a short period.

Large power aerators are quite expensive, and you will see these often used on golf courses. Smaller power aerators can be attached to your ride-on lawnmower.

Do You Really Need To Aerate Your Lawn?

For most people, it is not necessary to aerate your lawn each year. Most of the time, aeration is used for very compact soil that has had lots of foot or machine traffic. If you are finding that your soil is hard and not able to get the water and nutrients it needs, then aeration is a good choice.

How Do I Know If My Lawn Needs To Be Aerated

There are a few key things you should look out for to know if your lawn is ready to be aerated. The first is to look at the color of the lawn. Sometimes if you notice large areas with poor color, it could be because the soil is too compact to penetrate the turf.

You may also notice water pooling in your lawn. This can happen naturally after heavy rain, but eventually, water should start to penetrate down; if it can’t, you may need to aerate that area of the grass.

Another sign to look out for is overall growth. If the lawns around you are all growing quickly and look healthy, and yours has completely stopped, this may mean that your lawn needs to be aerated. As always, if you are unsure, it is best to ask an expert.

Steps To Take After You Use An Aerator

If you have just completed an aeration of your lawn, you will want to make sure you do a few essential things to complete the process. For starters, you should water the turf and leave anything that was pulled on the turf. This material will start to decompose naturally, and it offers good nutritional benefits to your lawn.

You will then want to fertilize your lawn. While the holes are open, it is essential to let the fertilizer get down deep in the turf and start to help increase the current turf’s strength. If you feel as though your turf is a little thin, you can also add some seed when you have completed aerating. When the holes are open, seed can get into the proper areas and start to take root quicker than usual.

Alternatives To Traditional Aeration

There is no question that aerating a lawn is a long and sometimes difficult process. If you are not going to do it yourself, chances are a local landscaping company will charge you hundreds of dollars to aerate your lawn.

This leaves many people wondering if there are alternatives to the lawn aeration process. Luckily there is a liquid product that can do virtually the same thing that physical aeration can do, and it will take only a fraction of the time and the cost as well!

A liquid aeration product like Eco Garden Liquid Lawn Aerator can help when your soil is too compact to accept fertilizer, water, and other nutrients. This product is simply sprayed on the lawn, and it will sink in much deeper than a typical manual or power aerator. You will find that your grass gets greener and stays stronger when using the Liquid Lawn Pro Aerator.

Instead of looking at the fall aeration process with dread, you can instead apply the Eco Garden PRO Lawn Aerator and be done within a matter of minutes. Let the product do the work, your back, and your wallet with thank you!

Conclusion

An aerator is used to make small holes or plugs in your lawn. When those holes are in place, more water, fertilizer, and seeds can get down to the level that they need and help increase the strength of your lawn. If you want green and healthy turf, aerating is a process that will need to happen from time to time. Save yourself lots of time and money by using a liquid aerator like our Eco Garden PRO Lawn Aerator. You will be surprised by the results that you can get with minimal effort.