Lawn services that improve fertilizer absorption, reduce runoff and expose roots to air and water can help homeowners keep their yards in top shape throughout the fall. One method is lawn aeration, which can conserve water and prevent lawns from turning brown.
Lawn aeration involves running a machine across the ground to open up the soil and reduce compacted roots. Dig up a 6-inch deep section of your grass and examine it — if the roots don’t extend more than two inches into the soil, your lawn may be compacted. It’s best to aerate in late September and October once the ground has cooled, said Shep Slater, CEO of We Cut Grass in Atlanta, which has served the metro area since 1980.
“Help your seeds get into better contact with the soil,” he said. “Give them that head start in a hole so they can germinate and grow.”
Slater shared tips for lawn aeration during the fall.
In the fall, aerate cool season grass only: In Georgia, most residents who plant cool season grass choose fescue or rye. As the grasses take a hit throughout July and August with high temperatures and humidity, greenery suffers. Warm season grasses, such as Bermuda and switchgrass, should not be aerated in the fall because they are shifting into a dormant cycle for the winter season. These grasses should be aerated in mid- to late spring. "If you aerate those now, you're making holes in the ground for weeds to fall in," Slater said.
Opt for core aeration: Core aeration machines pull plugs of dirt from the ground. Spike machines only push dirt down into the ground to make a hole, which further compacts the soil. Slicers cut vertical lines into the dirt. Slater prefers to use core aerators that open a hole in the ground for water, fertilizer and seeds to drop into the soil and work with the existing soil structure.
Ask for advice about what you need: If cars have been parked on the grass during construction or the topsoil has been scraped away, aeration won't likely help. Similarly, yards with steep slopes and trees that have roots near the surface won't benefit much. "Sometimes homeowners hear that they should aerate and don't consider whether it will really be a good investment," he said. "Aeration won't solve all of your problems."
Prepare your lawn before aeration services: If you've scheduled a service, remove the sticks in your yard and cut the grass about 3 inches high. If the grass is too tall, the aerator will destroy the grass before reaching the surface of the soil. In addition, if the lawn hasn't been watered for several days, the ground will be hard and won't produce good soil cores. "If we haven't gotten any rain in a month and you don't water your yard, it'll be the same as taking an aerator to your driveway to pull up concrete," Slater said. After aeration, don't cover the holes with wheat straw, which is full of weed seeds and will grow a weed-filled lawn.
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