Lawn Aeration Services
Best Dothan Lawn Aeration Service Near Me
If you’ve always wanted to have a lush and healthy lawn, you need to have the proper lawn care maintenance in place such as mowing, watering, and fertilizing. An important aspect that is often overlooked in maintaining a beautiful lawn is to ensure that the soil underneath the grass has all the nutrients it needs. And there is no better way to achieve this than by a process called aeration. Aeration is a vitally important aspect of lawn care because it allows both air and water to penetrate thatch and allow access to more nutrients.
Call Today for a free Dothan lawn aeration estimate!
What is Lawn Aeration?
Lawn Aeration is the process that involves puncturing the soil with multiple small holes in an attempt to let air, water and nutrients to access the root system of your lawn. Aerating helps the roots grow strong and deep, which is essential to any healthy lawn.
Why Aerate Your Lawn?
Aeration is important for your lawn because it helps to loosen compacted soil and allows water and air to circulate through the soil in order to properly feed the roots of your grass. Soil compaction typically occurs when there is too much dense matter within a space, and soil that is compacted should be aerated on a regular basis to avoid choking out the root system of your grass, which can lead to dried and dead patches in your lawn. An excess build-up of lawn thatch or debris beneath the surface of the lawn can prevent the roots from absorbing the necessary nutrients and doesn’t allow air or water to get into the soil.
When Should I Aerate My Lawn?
The most ideal time for lawn aeration is during prime growth season, depending on the type of grass you have. The best time to aerate cool season grasses is in the early spring or late fall, while warm season grasses should be aerated in late spring. The reason for this is so that the grass will have the chance to fill in the aeration holes while growing most vigorously. One important thing to remember is that you should not aerate your lawn if it has been seeded or sodded within the last year.
How Can I Know If My Lawn Needs To Be Aerated?
Though virtually every lawn can benefit in some way from regular aeration, there are a few instances when it can make the biggest impact on the health of your lawn. A few examples are:
Your lawn has high foot traffic, even children and pets playing regularly can compact soil over time.
There is an easy way to tell if your lawn is in need of aeration by doing a manual check. If you take a shovel and remove a small chunk of your lawn in order to look at grass roots in the soil. If they reach 4-6 inches deep, then your lawn doesn’t have a compaction problem and needs no aeration. However, if the roots extend only a couple inches and the soil seems hard, you should call us today to schedule your lawn aeration. And don’t worry, you can simply replace the grass you have dug up and tamp it down without a problem.
If your lawn has never been aerated, you need to have it done. You can also try this simple lawn aeration test using a screwdriver or pencil. Just push the screwdriver into the soil, and if you find it hard to push, chances are your soil is compacted and needs aeration.
Lawn Aeration Methods
There are two main methods and tools used for lawn aeration, which are a spike aerator and a plug aerator. Spike aerators work by poking small holes into the soil with a roller with tines, while plug aerators work by removing a small section of grass or soil from the lawn. When using a spike aerator, you simply use the tool to poke holes into the ground with a solid tine, which is less effective than a plug aerator and can actually cause more soil compaction if not done correctly. For the best results, you will want to use a lawn aeration tool that will remove plugs of soil.
How to Aerate
If you think your lawn needs to be aerated, here are some tips on how to perform a successful aeration:
Preparing for Lawn Aeration
It’s important that the soil has enough moisture before you start the aeration process. Watering your lawn the day before or after rainfall is suggested. It is advisable to use flags to indicate the locations of irrigation lines sprinkler heads, or even buried utilities.
During Aeration
Most aeration machines cover only a small width of the surface on each pass. If your lawn has been aerated within the past year, you only need to do one pass over the lawn. If it has been longer than a year, you can go over the entire lawn twice.You should aim to create approximately 30 holes per square foot of grass.
The next important tip is that you should let the soil plugs dry and break down in order to give your lawn a uniform appearance and add nutrients back to the soil. Aeration plugs contain microorganisms that digest lawn thatch and feed your lawn. If you prefer, you can help the process by going over the plugs with a lawn mower or rake.
After Lawn Aeration
We recommend that you fertilize and seed lawns immediately following aerating. For heavily compacted soil, it is advised to cover the lawn with a quarter inch of compost and rake so it falls into aeration holes.
It's also a good idea to water your lawn a few extra times after aeration, especially when in hot or dry weather.
Remember that lawn aeration brings up weed seeds from lower soil levels, so in order to prevent weeds from growing, plan to use a pre-emergent herbicide in the spring following fall aeration for cool season grasses. For warm-season grass, be sure to apply the herbicide the fall following the aeration process.
Continue basic lawn care practices such as proper fertilizing, watering, and mowing to maintain the health and color of your lawn. If your lawn is a good candidate for lawn aeration, it’s important to make it a part of your lawn care process. Aeration is a crucial step that gives your lawn an opportunity to absorb the necessary nutrients and water and achieve a lush and beautiful look.
Contact Our Dothan Lawn Care Experts
Are you ready to have the best looking lawn in the neighborhood? Call our Dothan lawn care experts today for a free estimate. We understand that each lawn is different and therefore requires different maintenance and care. Let Dothan Landscaping build a customized solution to all of your lawn care needs! Having a beautiful, healthy lawn isn’t a problem when you let Dothan Landscapers do the work.
If you’ve always wanted to have a lush and healthy lawn, you need to have the proper lawn care maintenance in place such as mowing, watering, and fertilizing. An important aspect that is often overlooked in maintaining a beautiful lawn is to ensure that the soil underneath the grass has all the nutrients it needs. And there is no better way to achieve this than by a process called aeration. Aeration is a vitally important aspect of lawn care because it allows both air and water to penetrate thatch and allow access to more nutrients.
Call Today for a free Dothan lawn aeration estimate!
What is Lawn Aeration?
Lawn Aeration is the process that involves puncturing the soil with multiple small holes in an attempt to let air, water and nutrients to access the root system of your lawn. Aerating helps the roots grow strong and deep, which is essential to any healthy lawn.
Why Aerate Your Lawn?
Aeration is important for your lawn because it helps to loosen compacted soil and allows water and air to circulate through the soil in order to properly feed the roots of your grass. Soil compaction typically occurs when there is too much dense matter within a space, and soil that is compacted should be aerated on a regular basis to avoid choking out the root system of your grass, which can lead to dried and dead patches in your lawn. An excess build-up of lawn thatch or debris beneath the surface of the lawn can prevent the roots from absorbing the necessary nutrients and doesn’t allow air or water to get into the soil.
When Should I Aerate My Lawn?
The most ideal time for lawn aeration is during prime growth season, depending on the type of grass you have. The best time to aerate cool season grasses is in the early spring or late fall, while warm season grasses should be aerated in late spring. The reason for this is so that the grass will have the chance to fill in the aeration holes while growing most vigorously. One important thing to remember is that you should not aerate your lawn if it has been seeded or sodded within the last year.
How Can I Know If My Lawn Needs To Be Aerated?
Though virtually every lawn can benefit in some way from regular aeration, there are a few instances when it can make the biggest impact on the health of your lawn. A few examples are:
Your lawn has high foot traffic, even children and pets playing regularly can compact soil over time.
- If your lawn is driven on often. Vehicles are hard on the grass and soil, causing grass to become unable to absorb nutrients and soil to become hard and compacted.
- Your lawn was grown as part of a new home build. Many times, the topsoil used with newly constructed lawns is stripped or buried, and the grass established on the existing soil has been compacted by construction vehicles and workers.
- If your lawn it taking too long to drain after a heavy rain and you have excess water puddling on lawn, that is a sign that the soil is unable to absorb the water, and needs to be aerated.
- If your grass is showing heavy wear, is thinning, starting to patch, or has multiple barespots.
- The thatch layer is thicker than half an inch. Thatch is the layer of dead grass and organic matter that sits between the grass and soil.
- Feels spongy or dries out easily. This might mean your lawn has a thatch problem.
There is an easy way to tell if your lawn is in need of aeration by doing a manual check. If you take a shovel and remove a small chunk of your lawn in order to look at grass roots in the soil. If they reach 4-6 inches deep, then your lawn doesn’t have a compaction problem and needs no aeration. However, if the roots extend only a couple inches and the soil seems hard, you should call us today to schedule your lawn aeration. And don’t worry, you can simply replace the grass you have dug up and tamp it down without a problem.
If your lawn has never been aerated, you need to have it done. You can also try this simple lawn aeration test using a screwdriver or pencil. Just push the screwdriver into the soil, and if you find it hard to push, chances are your soil is compacted and needs aeration.
Lawn Aeration Methods
There are two main methods and tools used for lawn aeration, which are a spike aerator and a plug aerator. Spike aerators work by poking small holes into the soil with a roller with tines, while plug aerators work by removing a small section of grass or soil from the lawn. When using a spike aerator, you simply use the tool to poke holes into the ground with a solid tine, which is less effective than a plug aerator and can actually cause more soil compaction if not done correctly. For the best results, you will want to use a lawn aeration tool that will remove plugs of soil.
How to Aerate
If you think your lawn needs to be aerated, here are some tips on how to perform a successful aeration:
Preparing for Lawn Aeration
It’s important that the soil has enough moisture before you start the aeration process. Watering your lawn the day before or after rainfall is suggested. It is advisable to use flags to indicate the locations of irrigation lines sprinkler heads, or even buried utilities.
During Aeration
Most aeration machines cover only a small width of the surface on each pass. If your lawn has been aerated within the past year, you only need to do one pass over the lawn. If it has been longer than a year, you can go over the entire lawn twice.You should aim to create approximately 30 holes per square foot of grass.
The next important tip is that you should let the soil plugs dry and break down in order to give your lawn a uniform appearance and add nutrients back to the soil. Aeration plugs contain microorganisms that digest lawn thatch and feed your lawn. If you prefer, you can help the process by going over the plugs with a lawn mower or rake.
After Lawn Aeration
We recommend that you fertilize and seed lawns immediately following aerating. For heavily compacted soil, it is advised to cover the lawn with a quarter inch of compost and rake so it falls into aeration holes.
It's also a good idea to water your lawn a few extra times after aeration, especially when in hot or dry weather.
Remember that lawn aeration brings up weed seeds from lower soil levels, so in order to prevent weeds from growing, plan to use a pre-emergent herbicide in the spring following fall aeration for cool season grasses. For warm-season grass, be sure to apply the herbicide the fall following the aeration process.
Continue basic lawn care practices such as proper fertilizing, watering, and mowing to maintain the health and color of your lawn. If your lawn is a good candidate for lawn aeration, it’s important to make it a part of your lawn care process. Aeration is a crucial step that gives your lawn an opportunity to absorb the necessary nutrients and water and achieve a lush and beautiful look.
Contact Our Dothan Lawn Care Experts
Are you ready to have the best looking lawn in the neighborhood? Call our Dothan lawn care experts today for a free estimate. We understand that each lawn is different and therefore requires different maintenance and care. Let Dothan Landscaping build a customized solution to all of your lawn care needs! Having a beautiful, healthy lawn isn’t a problem when you let Dothan Landscapers do the work.
