Aerating the lawn is an important step in landscaping maintenance that individuals will often neglect. For a homeowner that wants their lawn to look its best, there are some basic things that they will need to know about aerating their property.

Aerating the Lawn Can Help the Grass Stay Thick

During the aeration process, small plugs of soil will be removed. Individuals may assume that this will be bad for the lawn and cause it to start to thin in some areas. However, aeration can actually help your grass to grow thicker and to be healthier. This is due to the fact that the soil can gradually become compacted. When this occurs, it can be hard for the roots of the grass to grow through it, and it may be more difficult for water and nutrients to pass through the soil. By aerating it each year, using a tool such as a tow-behind turf aerator, you can avoid these problems so that the grass will be as healthy as possible.

The Plugs in the Soil Should Be Allowed to Fill in Naturally

After aerating the soil, individuals may dislike the holes that this process will leave behind. As a result, they may feel pressure to fill these holes on their own. Unfortunately, this can negate the benefits of this work as it will minimize the amount of loosening that it can provide. Luckily, the soil will expand to fill these openings fairly rapidly so that any negative impacts on the property's aesthetics will be short-lived. Furthermore, you should avoid collecting these plugs as they will contain nutrient-rich soil that you will want to be returned to the area where the grass is growing.

Be Diligent with Watering the Recently Aerated Lawn

After aerating the soil, it is important to be diligent about keeping the lawn sufficiently watered. The aeration process can be stressful on the grass, and it may even cause minor root damage to it. Being diligent about watering the lawn in the days following the aeration can limit these issues by ensuring the lawn will have easy access to moisture. Additionally, keeping the lawn watered can help the plugs that were removed to break down more quickly, and it can help the soil to expand to fill the openings. Water the lawn after aeration is especially important for those living in areas that are experiencing droughts as the openings in the soil could allow more of the water in it to evaporate.