5 Benefits of Aerating Your Lawn

Aeration is a natural process in most lawns, whereby the air moves from the atmosphere into the soil. However, it's possible to aerate your lawn with equipment when the soil could use a little help. Sometimes the soil is so compacted that it's hard for air to pass through, so it's necessary to create small aeration holes to make the process easier.

5 Reasons for Lawn Aerification

Creating these small holes in the lawn is called core aeration. It provides many different benefits, from reducing water runoff to promoting stronger root systems. Let's take a look at five reasons why you should aerate your lawn for overall health, as well as heat and drought tolerance.

It reduces soil compaction.

Compacted soil prevents airflow into the soil. It can also prevent water and fertilizer from reaching the roots, which can lead to thinning grass or bald spots in the lawn. Core aeration helps to remove some of the soil's overall density and reduces compaction.

It enhances water and fertilizer uptake.

With the soil less compacted, more water and fertilizer can reach the roots. More nutrients to the grass means better overall health. If your fertilizer doesn't seem to have an effect on your lawn, it's a sure sign of compacted soil and the need for aeration.

It promotes a dense lawn.

While core aeration reduces soil density, it increases lawn density. That's because aeration triggers root growth and development. If you combine aeration with overseeding, it will help fill in thinning or bald spots in the lawn. As the grass grows thicker and fuller, it will choke out weeds and prevent infestations.

It breaks up thatch.

Thatch is the thick layer of dead grass that builds up on your lawn. It's just as bad as compacted soil since it prevents air, water and nutrients from reaching the root systems. Dethatching helps to remove the dead layers, but combining it with core aeration can attract soil microorganisms from deep below the surface to the top-most layers. They will decompose the thatch and prevent buildup in your lawn.

It improves runoff and puddling.

Puddling throughout your lawn could indicate compaction. Runoff is also common in a yard with hard, compacted soil. Core aeration is the key to reducing the compaction that leads to runoff and puddling.

Improve Your Lawn's Health with Aeration

Core aeration provides your lawn with many benefits and helps the root systems to grow deeper, fuller and stronger. It reduces puddling, increases fertilizer uptake and helps with cushioning. When it comes to compacted and thatch-ridden lawns, aerating your yard should be one of your first priorities. Most home lawns could benefit from a yearly aeration, but golf courses and other trafficked lawns may need it at least three to five times per year.