Lawn Care - Aeration
In the cycle of nature, plants and animals have an important, make that vital,
interaction. Our High School science class taught us: animals and humans
breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Conversely, plants take in carbon
dioxide and emit oxygen. It a perfect match. A lesser known fact that seems
to escape us in High School is that plants need oxygen, too.
The roots of plants needs water, nutrients, and ...oxygen. Oxygen is held
in the spaces between the particles of the soil. In sandy soils, there's
a lot of spaces, and therefore, lots of oxygen in the soil for your plants'
roots. Oxygen is plentiful in soils rich in organic matter, too.
On the far side of the spectrum, however, are clay soils, and soils that
have been compacted due to high traffic, or.....lawn rollers, perhaps! In
these situations, there is little oxygen in the soil. Water and nutrients
have a hard time getting down through the soil to the roots of your lawn
where it is needed.
The solution?
You guessed it, lawn aeration. The most common means of providing lawn aeration,
is a rolling type device towed behind a garden tractor that has many, many
spikes. Another common variation is a spike with a hole in the middle. As
the roller goes across the lawn, the hollow spikes pick up "plugs" of turf,
opening passageways for water, nutrients, and oxygen.
How can you tell if your lawn needs aeration?
The first clue is the type of soil. Lawns grown in clay soils typically will
benefit by regular aeration.
Second, if water sits on your lawn for long periods of time, or drains away
with little seeping in, your lawn will benefit by aeration.
Third, if you are properly caring for your lawn, but it just doesn't have
the color and vitality you expect, aeration is likely in order.
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