Aerate, Over-seed, and Manage Thatch for a Healthy, Lush Lawn

Aeration is one of the most important aspects of cultivating a healthy and lush lawn. The water that seeps into the soil beneath your grass is the primary avenue to deliver nutrients the grass needs to grow strong and green. Soil that makes it difficult for the water and nutrients to reach the deeper grass roots will starve the grass blades of what they need to prosper. Plug aeration is the process of removing plugs of soil to allow water and the nutrients it carries to the roots. Annual aeration affords the roots the pathways that are essential in your aim to keep the soil moist to ensure a healthy and green lawn.

Watering the Lawn

Aerating your lawn provides the valuable pathways for water to reach the deeper soil hairs where nutrients are absorbed. The vital supply route of fuel is essential. If water and the important nutrients it carries are unable to reach the deep roots, the structure of the grass will suffer, the blades will weaken, and the grass will be susceptible to damage from the sun and foot traffic. 

Allowing Space for Soil

Removing plugs of soil through plug aeration allows for the space necessary for the soil to expand. Aerating should always be followed by a concentrated watering session. Allow the water to soak deep into the soil and expand the soil. This expansion of the soil – made possible by the removal of the plugs by aeration – will allow the water and nutrients the space necessary to hold more water and serve as a more effective feeding platform.

Over-seeding

Another key step in creating a brilliant and healthy lawn is over-seeding. Over-seeding is a method best chosen for repairing thin or damaged spots in your lawn with an infusion of new grass seed. Before over-seeding, aerate the troubled area to provide the newly spread grass seeds the best environment for growth. Moisture retention is paramount for growing new seeds. Aeration (as mentioned above) allows the soil to retain water better.

Managing Thatch

Thatch is a layer of roots, grass clippings and stems that binds the level of the soil just beneath the surface. Dethatching is a process by which you rake vigorously through the soil to remove the built-up thatch that can rob your lawn of the ability to deliver sufficient water and nutrients to the root hairs of the grass. Aeration creates paths through the thatch but annual thatch removal is required to maintain a pathway to the roots. Soil with heavy thatch contributes to an unhealthy lawn. Water is unable to get through the gathering of thatch to the roots, therefore robbing the roots of its food and energy supply. Roots growth will be stunted if they are unable to grow through the constraints of suffocating thatch.