With summer now officially here, outdoor fun, garden play and general sunny shenanigans are immediately promoted up the list of evening and weekend activities.
As such, it’s time to turn our attention to the garden and, more specifically, prepping it for the impending summertime socials.
To ensure your garden has you walking on sunshine this summer and not trudging through sludge, soil aeration is a great place to start.
What is soil aeration?
Compacted soil can hinder its absorption of vital nutrients needed for healthy growth and vitality. As such, soil aeration is a vital component when it comes to maintaining a healthy lawn.
Aeration methods help perforate the ground, providing better ventilation by loosening up the soil and reducing the soil density.
This allows for better access to oxygen, water and nutrients, providing a better opportunity for growth, enhancing drainage and boosting fertility.
Aeration also helps prevent lawn disease and the nutritional benefits of the spiking can help your lawn become stronger, with better-developed roots and a heightened drought tolerance.
Why aerate your lawn?
Most British gardens made up of silt, sand and loam soils will benefit greatly from occasional aeration; however, for clay soil, it can be a virtual pre-requisite.
Clay soil is easily compactible and notorious for its poor drainage. As such, aeration can make all the difference.
Footfall can naturally compact lawn soil, necessitating the need for aeration. For clay soil gardens, this footfall can be particularly traumatic and leave a literal lasting impression.
If you plan on having a herd of family and friends stampeding your lawn this summer, be sure to keep your lawn in fighting shape by strategic aeration throughout the year.
How to aerate your lawn
To aerate your lawn, use a fork to pierce holes into your grassy surface and gently rock back and forth to loosen the ground underneath.
Continue this process in a uniform fashion across the entire garden surface until you have covered your whole area of lawn.
You may want to make multiple passes over the most compacted areas of your lawn to ensure the problem areas have been effectively covered.
If a fork is unavailable, this process can also be achieved using a spade; however, a fork is preferable. For the best results, seek out a special lawn aerator – these are widely available in both step and roller form.
Professional Lawn Aeration Services
While you can aerate your own lawn to help keep your grass healthy, there’s nothing quite like a professional service to breathe some life back into your grass.
At Lawn & Weed Expert, we offer comprehensive aeration and spiking services that are both effective and affordable.
Using professional equipment and expert knowledge, we can give your garden a shot in the proverbial arm that will keep it alive and kicking no matter you have planned for it this summer.
For more information on how to improve soil aeration and our professional lawn aeration services, drop us a line today on 0800 111 4958 or click the button below to request a FREE lawn survey.
Request a FREE Survey
