Lawn aeration is a common lawn care technique that creates small openings in your turf and penetrates the root and thatch layer, allowing essential air and water to make their way down to the grassroots. This task is usually carried out by lawn care professionals using a motorised machine or specialist hand tools; however, using the right tools at the right time of the year, you can aerate your own lawn to make sure it receives the nutrients it needs to survive and prosper.
If you are thinking about whether you should aerate your lawn and when the best time to do it is, you've come to the right place! Read on to learn more about lawn aeration.
The importance of lawn aeration
Before we talk about the best time for you to aerate your lawn, we must first establish why it is important to do so.
If your soil has become heavily compacted as a result of high foot traffic, or if the lawn has developed a layer of thatch, lawn aeration is crucial for allowing your turf to digest the essential nutrients such as water and fertilisers it needs to flourish. Without aeration, your grassroots will not be able to intake what it needs and you run the risk of the grass dying.
Some tell-tale signs that your lawn needs to be aerated are:
- Lawn dries out very easily and has a spongy feel underfoot
- Lawn is newly established and contains soil layering over existing, coarser soil
When to aerate your lawn
Knowing exactly when to aerate your lawn is vital for your lawn's health. Varying weather can impact your soil in different ways, and therefore deciding when to aerate your lawn is crucial to achieving optimal results.
The ideal time for lawn aeration is during the growing season, either in early or late spring or autumn. During this time, your grass has the opportunity to heal and will be able to naturally fill the patches and plugs created during the aeration process.
During periods of very hot weather, aeration becomes difficult due to the dry soil. This is also the case during bouts of cold weather, when the soil becomes hard and frozen. Therefore, the best time to aerate your lawn is when the soil is soft enough to penetrate and your turf can repair itself once the process is over.
More on lawn aeration
To learn more about when you should aerate your lawn or how to do it, be sure to visit our lawn aeration and spiking page below where we discuss further details around lawn aeration such as how often you need to aerate and what to do after you've finished.
Lawn Aeration & Spiking >
If you haven't got the time to aerate your lawn, or would like some professional assistance, the team here at Lawn & Weed Expert can help! Our highly experienced lawn care team can help take care of your lawn aeration and spiking to ensure your turf gets the care and attention it needs. Simply complete and submit the enquiry form below to get started!
