Lawn Aerators
Water drainage and air mobility are essential elements of lawn care. By helping valuable air to reach the soil and the roots of your plants, these devices can revolutionize your lawn’s appearance. Improve your ground's air flow by choosing a lawn aerator suited for your soil conditions.
How often should you aerate your lawn?
Climate and soil type are factors to take into consideration when planning your aeration schedule. Here are a few tips:
- Clay soil: Clay is easily compacted, whether by foot traffic or by heavy machines. If your yard is clay, then plan on aerating it at least once a year. This will improve water drainage.
- Sandy soil: This type of earth is porous. It requires aeration once every two years.
- Dry climate: Dry and sandy earth develops a crusty layer over time. This layer helps to retain water, but it does this by sacrificing air flow. If you live in a dry climate and your yard is sandy, then you should get your lawn aerator out twice a year.
What does it mean to aerate the lawn?
Aeration is a process that uses equipment to punch tiny holes uniformly across the ground's surface. The holes left behind by an aerator's tines or spikes provide air to root systems, keeping your turf healthy and preventing soil compaction that can ruin the appearance of your lawn.
What is the difference between dethatching and aeration?
Aeration provides your lawn's roots with oxygen and loosens dense growing mediums. Dethatching removes dead roots and grass stems from older lawns.
Dethatching is performed when a lawn is beginning to thin out. Examine your landscape, and look for thinning or patchy grass. If your view reveals any inconsistencies in ground cover, then dethatch before using an aerator.
How does a lawn aerator work?
Although there are many models to choose from, there are two basic types of aeration equipment. One aerator uses spikes, and the other aerator uses tines.
- Spike aerators punch tiny holes in the earth. The holes measure one-half to three-quarter inches in diameter.
- Core aerators have tines that pull plugs of earth and debris from the surface.
From stand-alone manual lawn aerators to lawn care machines designed for large areas to attachments that can be placed on fertilizer machines, mowers, and other yard equipment, there are many lawn aerator sale models worth viewing.
Do you rake your lawn after aerating?
After aerating your grass with a core aerator, you will see tiny plugs of earth, thatch, turf, and other lawn materials throughout your yard. Don't rake. Leave the plugs. The view will improve. Rain, irrigation, and other environmental factors break up plugs and help feed your grass. Since spike aerators do not produce plugs, there should be no temptation to rake.