Aerating Your Lawn Promotes Growth

Aerating is the process of removing small plugs of soil and grass just a few inches deep using various manual and mechanical means. By punching thousands of holes in your lawn, it will improve the ability of your grass to breathe and allow water and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the root system. It’s especially important if you plan to overseed your lawn.

 

If you have a sprinkler system, be sure you mark the location of each sprinkler head. Even though the plugs don’t go deep enough to damage your sprinkler lines, they can certainly damage the heads which are typically right at the surface.

 

The only downside of aerating is the plugs of dirt that remain on your lawn. While the rain will dissolve them in a week or two, they will be messy in the meantime. But the end result is worth it.

 

 

If you’ve noticed your grass thinning or there are more dry and discolored patches popping up, it’s probably time to aerate. In the South, the best time to aerate is the Spring or Fall when the grass is at its optimal growing stage. However, you can really aerate anytime. Doing so every 2 to 3 years will give you the best results.

 

You can definitely do it yourself using various methods, from spiked sandals that cost $24 (leg power required) to gas powered machines you can rent for around $80 per day. And many of the lawn companies servicing Cross Creek provide aeration. One company contacted quoted $130. Of course, your price may vary depending on the size of your lawn.