Benefits of Aeration and Seeding

As lawns age or sustain heavy use from play, sports activities, pets, vehicle traffic and parking, soil compaction can result. Soil compacting forces are most severe in poorly drained or wet sites. Compaction greatly reduces the pore space within the soil that would normally hold air. Roots require oxygen to grow and absorb nutrients and water. Compaction reduces total pore space and the amount of air within the soil. It has negative impact on nutrient uptake and water infiltration, in addition to being a physical barrier to root growth. This results in poor top growth and lawn deterioration.

  • Increase the activity of soil microorganisms that decompose thatch.

  • Increase water, nutrient and oxygen movement into soil

  • Improve rooting of turfgrass

  • Help prevent fertilizer and pesticide run-off from overly compacted areas.

  • Enhance infiltration of rainfall or irrigation

The Pro Grass Approach

Lawn aeration involves the removal of small soil plugs or cores out of the lawn. Although hand aerators are available, most lawn aeration is done mechanically with a machine having hollow tines or spoons mounted on a disk or drum. Known as a core aerator, it extracts 1/2 to 3/4 inch diameter cores of soil and deposits them on your lawn. Lawn aeration holes are typically 1-4 inches deep and 2-6 inches apart. Other types of aerators push solid spikes or tines into the soil without removing a plug (spiking). These are not as effective because they can contribute to compaction. Core aeration is a recommended lawn care practice on compacted, heavily used turf and to control thatch buildup.

Since aeration is so important to turfgrass, Pro Grass Inc. strives to ensure using the right machine for the job. Different lawns may need different types of aeration. A well maintained, thick green lawn may look like it doesn’t need aeration, but below the soil surface may be compaction and a lack of nutrient flow. For well established lawns, Pro-Grass uses a core aerator to pull 3-4 inch plugs out of the soil, reducing the compaction and increasing the nutrient flow of the soil. For turf that isn’t well established, Pro-Grass Inc. may use an aerovator. An aerovator is a special type of machine that will “shatter” the soil. Equipped with 3-4 inch solid tines, this machine is driven by a ‘pto’ drive that enables the tines to not only penetrate the soil but also to shake left and right, ‘shattering’ the soil. This piece of machine is another very effective tool in relieving compaction, increasing nutrient flow, and preparing the soil for seeding.