5 Tools for Aerating Your Lawn
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As a part of your yardwork, aeration is a necessary process that you need to include in your lawn maintenance routines. By creating small holes in the soil, it is much easier for the grass roots to receive nutrients, air and water. Hence, the roots become healthier while they grow deeper and enhance the overall quality of your plants.
 
Why Aeration is a Must
 
Soil compaction occurs over time, and too much solid particles prevent nutrients, water and air to penetrate deeper into the soil. If your lawn tends to dry out easily, receives a lot of traffic from overuse, or has a spongy feel, then you need to aerate it. This process breaks up any layering or compacting, which perforates the soil and allows water to reach the roots efficiently.
 
Generally, aeration must be done during the growing season since the grass gets to heal quickly and fill in open areas after the removal of soil plugs. If you have warm season grass in your lawn, then the best time to aerate is during late spring months. However, aerating during fall or early spring is recommended for yards with cool season grass.
 
Tools You Will Need
 
Below are five essential aeration tools that will allow your soil to breathe and take in nutrients, air and water for optimum growth.
 
1. Scarifier
 
The scarifier is used for removing thatch, plugs or leaves at the base of grass blades. By using this tool, air can circulate faster and fertilizer is absorbed easily by the roots.
 
2. Slitter
 
You can also use a slitter for aeration purposes. Once you run this tool over the grass, this allows the sharp blades to get into and through the turf. What's more, it causes air to penetrate into the root zone as the grass roots are trimmed slightly along the way.
 
3. Hollow Tiner
 
To aerate the soil, you can use the hollow tiner to produce spacing and holes. With the help of the hollow tines, cores of the soil are also removed. Afterwards, you need to fill the area in with healthy top soil for better yields.
 
4. Fork
 
If you notice that soil compaction is an issue in your yard, you can solve this issue by using a garden fork. Push the sharp points of the fork into the soil at about 3 inches deep. Then, wiggle this tools slightly to create wider holes.
 
5. Plug Aerators
 
An easy way to improve penetration of water, fertilizer and air into the root zone is by using plug aerators. This type of tool removes a plug of soil or grass efficiently from your yard. This way, the soil can breathe and become healthier as nutrients get in.
 
Aeration is an important method of improving the quality of your lawn. After all, once water, air and nutrients are blocked from getting into the soil, the roots become weaker and this can cause the entire plant to be prone to diseases and damages. So, if you have issues such as compacted or dry soil, then it is time to aerate it using these essential tools.

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