Every time you mow, and the kids and dogs play on the grass, your lawn gets a bit compressed. This, along with dead leaves, lawn clippings and other waste can build up and stick together to form a barrier, called thatch and start to suffocate your lawn. Like us, lawns need to breathe. If a thatch barrier develops, oxygen, water, and other vital nutrients will not be able to reach your lawn’s roots and you’ll be left with a brown lawn and judgmental neighbors!
What is Lawn Aeration?
Aeration removes plugs or “cores” of grass and soil to make it easier for lawns to take in all the essential nutrients necessary to flourish into the beautiful green color we all desire.
Why Aerate?
Besides the fact that aeration will improve your soil’s intake, aeration offers additional benefits:
- Eliminates puddles from forming on your lawn
- Reduces stress from heat and drought
- Enhances seed germination
- Strengthens roots
- Makes lawns less susceptible to disease
When to Aerate?
Right now if your grass is showing signs of thinning or puddling you need to aerate. Another great indicator for turf that needs to be aerated is if there are ongoing white grub and billbug issues with the lawn. Appropriate levels of thatch range from ½ to ¾ of an inch of thatch, this amount of thatch level helps retain moisture, shields the turf’s root system and protects the root system from the elements. Once thatch levels have reached ¾ of an inch or more, All Terrain Landscaping recommends aerating the turf annually or bi-annually.
In Northern Colorado, the best time for spring aeration is mid-April through May. Spring aeration will help remedy the thinning and puddling, as well as provide faster greening. You do not want to aerate during the heat of the summer when the grass is stressed.
Fall aeration is ideal for cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass. Best time to aerate your Fort Collins and Greeley lawn is the last week of August until mid-October. Fall lawn aeration helps strengthen roots and provides an ideal foundation for overseeding. Make sure to aerate at least 50 days before the ground freezes, which (usually) happens sometime in December.
Did you know? Our turf fertilizer program is specific to our area of Colorado, it’s custom blended! Every insecticide and herbicide that we use is hand selected of high quality, and specifically applied at the right time of the year.
To learn about All Terrain Landscaping’s lawn aeration services, visit our Lawn Aeration & Fertilization page or give us a call today – 970-304-1183.
Other helpful lawn care tips:
7 Steps to a Greener Lawn All Season
Prep Your Landscape for Spring with these 6 Tips
