Aerating Your Lawn By Hand

This soil type needs aeration as it tends to.

Aerating your lawn by hand.

If you live where heavy clay soil is the norm annual aeration is probably needed to keep your lawn from becoming thin and weak. Although aerating your lawn in the spring certainly isn t wrong it would have to take a close second compared to aerating in the fall. Aerating is the process of punching small holes all over your lawn. The day before aerating your lawn apply 1 inch of water to the lawn to soften the soil.

For the best results use an aerating tool or machine that actually removes plugs of soil. Thatch is the layer of decomposing organic matter that forms right at the lawn surface between soil and grass. In areas where the soil is too compacted the foot bar offers extra leverage. The most effective type of aerating is with a gas powered machine called a core aerator that pulls out small cores of grass and soil.

The best method of manually aerating your lawn is done using a manual core aerator this is a tool designed with a handle and a foot bar. How do you decide whether your lawn needs aeration. Make sure to mark any sprinkler heads or shallow irrigation septic or utility lines so that you won t accidentally run them over. Thoroughly water your lawn a day or two before you begin the aeration process.

Dethatching and aerating are two different tasks but they often go hand in hand. How to aerate a lawn. Other aerators use short spikes to punch holes in the turf. For lightly compacted soil go over your entire lawn once with the aerator making sure to follow directions for use.

With a spike aerator you simply use the tool to poke holes into the ground with a solid tine or fork. Things needed hand aerifier with tube hollows 1 4 to 1 2 inch in diameter or spading fork lawn watering device optional tape measure or ruler lawn rake optional wheelbarrow or basket optional. Your soil type is clay. This will help with the number of weeds growing in the springtime.

Two main aerating tools exist a spike aerator and a plug aerator. Apply at least one inch of water. A lawn care professional explains how and why to aerate a lawn including what tools can be used for the job and how to properly use t. Once you aerate the lawn in the fall you can apply weed killers so the open holes are protected from weeds.

You fail to push a screwdriver through the moist soil. You are required to hold the handle using both hands so that you can drive it into the soil. The grass is starting to change color or look unhealthy.