Early-Fall To-Do Item: Core Aeration
Whether your lawn is in seemingly good health or in obvious need of care, core aeration is an important aspect of routine lawn maintenance, and now is the time to start thinking about getting it done. Our team of lawn care experts recommends aerating at least once a year, ideally in September or October when evening temperatures have cooled off significantly.
Need some more information about our lawn care services, or looking to schedule a service with our dedicated lawn care team? Contact Topeka Landscape online today, or give us a call at 785-232-8873 to speak with a team member directly!
What is Core Aeration and Why is it Helpful?
To understand why aeration is so important, you first need to understand what thatch is. Thatch is a layer of matted organic material that develops on the surface of your lawn over time. As thatch builds up, it can block fertilizers, pest control, water, oxygen, and other nutrients from getting into the soil. This is where core aeration becomes valuable!
Core aeration pulls 1” – 3” plugs of soil and turf from the lawn, breaking up thatch and encouraging that layer of organic material to decompose at a faster rate. The newly created holes are beneficial because they:
- Introduce oxygen back into the root zone
- Aid in relieving soil compaction
- Help roots spread laterally
- Allow water and fertilizers to filtrate into the soil profile
There are other methods of aeration out there, specifically spiking and slicing, but core aeration is hands down the most effective. The reason for this is because the spiking and slicing methods do not remove soil, they just move it around. Since slicing and spiking methods don’t pull plugs from the soil, you won’t get those pockets for water, nutrients, and soil to enter the soil.
Get the Job Done Right
If you want to take aeration into your own hands, you need to be sure that you have taken the proper precautions to ensure a job well done. First and foremost, be sure you canvas your lawn and use flags to mark all irrigation heads, valve boxes, pipes, and wiring that rest beneath the surface. You’ll also want to be sure you have the right tools, whether hand operated or mechanical ones, so that you can make several passes through the yard without overexerting yourself. Not in the mood to take on the task of aerating? No problem! We know some folks who love doing this kind of work. (Hint: it’s us!)
Let Topeka Landscape Take Care of Your Aeration
If you have other plans for your free time, our team is here to take care of your aeration needs. Give us a shout today and we can schedule a time to get you taken care of.
Interested in other aspects of lawn care like fertilization, weed control, and mowing? We can help with that too! Click here to learn more about all our lawn maintenance offerings.