8/7/2023 0 Comments Yard spike aerator![]() However, adding soil conditioners is rarely as effective as core aeration and may take years to be fully effective. Some riding mowers have spike or core aerator attachments.Īnother option for aerating is applying an ionized soil conditioner, a solution that loosens clay soil particles and encourages microorganisms that foster healthy soil and digest thatch. With a core aerator that removes soil plugs, look for machines with deeper tines and weight over tines to sink them into soil. Strap-on spike shoes accomplish a hole-punch effect but don't remove soil cores.Īutomated aerators have a circular drum in front or back loaded with hollow cylinders or spikes. You use foot-power to plunge two to four hollow cylinders into soil to extract cores or punch holes. Manual aerators work best for small lawns but don’t produce results that rival automated aerators. For aeration, choose from two methods: manual or motorized. Punching holes serves to compact soil that's already compacted. Removing soil cores opens channels for air to reach into soil. Before you begin, decide whether you want to remove soil cores or just poke holes into soil. Cool-season grass roots are longest in late spring warm-season turf roots peak in fall.Ī variety of do-it-yourself methods make aeration approachable for homeowners of every skill level. If, however, roots extend only 1-2 inches, you should consider aerating. If they reach 4-6 inches deep, your lawn doesn't have a compaction problem. If that layer is more than one-half inch thick, aeration is needed. Thatch is a tightly woven layer of living and dead organic material (stems, stolens, roots etc.) that lies between the living grass blades and soil. When you dig up the grass and soil, look for thatch and grass roots. Aeration is necessary if you find yourself struggling to push the shovel into soil. If you can easily sink the shovel to a depth of half the blade, your soil isn't compacted. ![]() To confirm compaction, use a shovel to excavate a square foot of turf with soil. In compacted soil, this task proves very difficult. ![]() Difficulty sticking a screwdriver or a pencil into soilĪn easy way to assess soil compaction is to push a screwdriver or pencil into it. ![]()
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