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When the soil of your lawn gets compacted, soil particles are pressed together and the space between the particles shrinks, making it harder for water to infiltrate and drain through the soil. This in turn increases the likelihood of aeration-related problems, such as impeded root growth and oxygen deficiency.
Puddles forming on your lawn after a rainstorm are one of the warning signs. Here are some more:
Aeration is the process of removing tiny plugs of grass and soil. It allows air and space for your roots and promotes and strengthens the root system of your grass.
The purpose of aeration is to allow air and water to penetrate your lawn. This will allow minerals and nutrients to reach deeper in your grass, where the roots are. This technique is especially helpful in areas of soil compaction where the soil is so tightly packed that your lawn and plants are essentially left starving.
Early spring and fall are the most important times to look for—and address—soil compaction. Lawn aeration can help.
Living in Maine means living through a long winter of snow and ice. While snow is great to ski or sled on, it’s not so great for your lawn.
As tempting as it may be, don’t walk on your lawn when it’s still wet from the melted snow. During thawing and drying, soil is broken up as the trapped moisture freezes and thaws, creating cracks and crevices that allow the soil to drain excess moisture and help the lawn breathe. If you walk on it too early, you could slow down the drainage process. Additionally, salt damage can become even worse from your premature foot traffic – so just give it a little time to dry before you venture out.
Once your lawn dries, you’ll want to focus on some basic raking to help fluff up the grass and aerate the grass so that sunlight and oxygen are better able to penetrate the soil, eradicating any mold on your landscape.
Early spring is the time to be thinking about starting your Lawn Care Plan and your annual lawn aeration. As the spring progresses, you should be thinking about grub prevention. See our Portland Maine Lawn Care Plans and learn about our bee-safe grub prevention approach.
To promote deep healthy roots, Lucas recommends you increase the blade height on your mower and conduct deep watering (no more than twice per week). Frequent and light watering promotes shallow root growth and can do more harm than good.
Lucas agronomists generally do not suggest lawn aeration in the height of summer, except in extreme situations.
Yes. The warm days and cool nights of autumn in Portland Maine make it the optimal time for grass to grow. Lawn aeration service will strengthens the root system of your grass while ensuring that essential nutrients make it into the soil where the roots need it most. You’ll notice that as your grass becomes thicker and lusher, your weed population will shrink as it gets crowded out by grass.
Early fall is a perfect time to aerate and overseed your lawn. The seeds will fill the plugs and have room to grow. For those in our 100% organic lawn care program, overseeding and aeration are important steps to achieve the thick, weed free lawn you seek.
Successful aeration and overseeding require the right tools to be successful. The aerator should remove small cones of soil, not simply poke holes into the ground – that process can worsen soil compaction issues.
If you’d like help identifying which areas of your lawn will benefit most from properly executed aeration and overseeding, the lawn care professionals at Lucas Tree Experts can help.
At Lucas, we’re extensively trained in providing superior lawn care services that will minimize any potential environmental damage. We know how important it is to maintain your property year-round.
Let Lucas help you select a responsible Evergreen Lawn Care program that is just right for your home.