Tick..
One of the best steps to help a lawn grow full and lush in the spring
and summer is by aerating and overseeding in the fall. Having done
this to my yard for the last few years, I can tell you first hand, the
work you do now will definately pay off next year. Aerating takes the
soil that has become compounded because of traffic, lawn mowing for
example, and loosens it. This allows for growth because it allows the
soil to accept more water and oxygen.
There are three ways you aerate your lawn. The first, and in my
opinion the most guaranteed backache producer, is by hand. Using a
spade fork, you stab the tines in the soil and rock the spade fork
back and forth. The second is to wear lawn-aerating spikes and walk
all over your yard. The third is to use a core-cultivator
(power-aerator) on your yard. This is the most effective means of
aeration primarily because the holes produced by the core-cultivator
will be deeper and more numerous than those produced by hand or by
aerating spikes, which allows the soil to expand and become less
compacted. When using the core cultivator, if you haven't aerated in a
while (three or more years) you may want to make two runs across your
lawn. Try to go north-south on the first run and then east-west on
the second. The plugs that are generated by the core-cultivator can
be raked up or left on the lawn. They may be a bit unsightly, but
they will decompose in a couple of weeks.
The best time to aerate is when grass is actively growing, which means
fall for cool-season grasses and late spring for warm-season grasses.
This is especially true if you are overseeding in conjnction with
aerating. Ask your local garden professional for recommendations for
seeiding based upon your soil type and the type of grass you are
looking to grwo. Also, a factor is when you last aerated. If your
lawn handles heavy traffic, such as children playing, you may want to
aerate every year. If you lawn has been neglected for a long time or
you are starting from scratch, you may want to aerate several times a
year.
Good luck in your yard work. Believe me, the work you put in today
will make your yard the envy of your neighborhood. If you need any
further clarification, please let me know!
Regards,
-THV
Search Strategy:
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References:
Do It Yourself
http://www.diynet.com/
Home and Garden TV
http://www.hgtv.com |
