You should aerate the lawn annually at least. If you have a lawn that is in poor condition with a lot of straw, discoloration, and puddles, you'll want to aerate twice a year until your lawn improves. Then reduce it back to annually. Of course, lawns need sun and water to thrive.
This is why it is important to aerate the lawn if you notice that the soil has compacted. Aerating the lawn, either with a push aerator or a gas aerator (you can rent one in a large store), will allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate to the roots of the lawn, helping it to bloom. Straw is dead plant material that accumulates between grass leaves and roots. A little is fine, even healthy.
But too much straw is a bad thing. If your lawn has a layer of straw more than three-quarters of an inch thick, it's time to remove it. This can be done with a straw rake (for small lawns) or an electric rake (for larger extensions). Removing that layer of straw will allow water and air to penetrate the soil, improving the health of your lawn.
Usually, your soil can't provide all the nutrients your lawn needs throughout the growing season. That's why it's important to fertilize when needed. The time you should fertilize and the type of fertilizer you should use are determined by the type of lawn you are growing. Warm season grasses should be fertilized as they come out of dormancy in the spring.
Cold-season grasses should be fertilized abundantly in the fall and slightly in early spring. Everyone tends to pick up the leaves, but that's not necessarily true. While a thick layer of leaves will suffocate the lawn, a moderate amount can be used as mulch. Instead of raking, run the lawn mower over the leaves until they are cut into small pieces.
The bits will provide beneficial nutrients to the lawn. You want to aerate the lawn when the lawn is at its peak growing period so that it can recover quickly, think early spring or fall for cold-season grasses, and late spring to early summer for warm-season grasses. If you have high-traffic areas or heavy clay soils, you'll want to air every year. If you have sandy soil or your lawn is growing well, lawn aeration can occur every 2 or 3 years.
Your soil provides some of the nutrients your lawn needs, but most soils can't provide them all throughout the growing season. A healthy and actively growing lawn uses a lot of energy. Fertilizer helps the lawn stay healthy by promoting the growth of new leaves and roots. Read on to learn more about why fertilizing lawns is important.
It's time to take out the leaf rakes and remove any twigs and leaves that have accumulated during the winter. A thick layer of wet leaves can suffocate the lawn if it is not removed immediately in early spring. Cleaning up old waste opens the way for fertilizer and herbicide application. A little airing, such as once a year, can go a long way towards creating a beautiful and healthy lawn.
Your soil, its compaction, and the type of grass you have determine when to aerate your lawn in your garden. Having a weekly routine for household chores is a great way to maintain your home, but when it comes to lawn care, you can't always be so stiff. Lawn aeration, often called core aeration, removes small turf plugs, straw and soil from the turf. TruGreen takes care of the main tasks to keep your lawn healthy, from aeration and fertilization to weed control and worm control.
But if the list of seasonal clothing seems overwhelming, you can consider hiring a professional lawn care company. It may not be the most pleasant time to work in the garden, but it must be done if you really want to follow the best lawn care program. Remember, your lawn only needs to remove the straw if you have more than half an inch of straw on the lawn of the lawn. Lawn care companies offer annual programs that can handle all the tasks you may need, from fertilization to aeration, soil amendments and worm control.
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