Aeration and Overseeding

If we were to ask what the single most important service you could do for your lawn is, what would you say? Fertilization? Controlling weeds? Watering it? While all of those things are important, what if we told you there was a service that was even more vital? While a lot of people don’t realize just how important it is, aeration (followed by overseeding) is actually one of the best ways to achieve a thriving lawn.

 

What is Lawn Aeration?

If you don’t already know, aeration is the process of making small holes throughout the lawn using an aerator machine. The aerator pulls soil cores and deposits them on the ground, where they’ll go through the natural decomposition process and act as a sort of “topdressing” for your lawn. Overall, lawn aeration allows more oxygen, water, and nutrients to penetrate deep into the soil and reach the root zone, where they’re needed most. This helps produce strong roots which equates to a healthier lawn.

 

Does my Lawn Need it?

Chances are, it does. Soil type is what ultimately determines the need for aeration. All soil is comprised of small particles varying in size, shape, and composition. There are three groups of soil particles—sand, loam, and clay—which are divided by size. The smallest of the three is clay, meaning the soil packs very easily. Unfortunately, clay soil is prevalent in our region.

Because clay soil compacts so easily, it can make it incredibly difficult for water, nutrients, and oxygen to penetrate that barrier and get down to your turf’s root zone. This is where a service like lawn aeration—which breaks up that compaction—will make a huge difference in the health of your lawn.

Once your soil is well-aerated, you’ll get better results from the other services you’re performing on your lawn such as fertilization and even watering. Without aeration, products and even water will have a difficult time getting through the clay soil.

 

What is Overseeding?

In addition to having a lawn aeration service performed, we also recommend overseeding at the same time. Why? Because, the small holes that are created during the aeration process also allow for the best possible seed-to-soil contact. Seeds will fall into the holes and have the best chance of germination. If you were to try to seed a lawn that has not been aerated, chances are the seeds are just going to sit atop that hard, clay soil and not have the opportunity to do much at all.

 

Can I Do it Myself?

The short answer is, yes. It’s definitely possible to rent an aerator and perform an aeration on your own. But it’s not something we’d advise—for several reasons.

First and foremost, we find that most people don’t realize the difficulties involved in aeration. The equipment is heavy and difficult to push. What you might think is an hour or two job could wind up taking up most of your day. The equipment that you’re renting has been used hundreds of times before you and you can’t be sure exactly what you’re going to get. It may be clunky and difficult to operate—and it might not do that great of a job. Whereas a professional company that performs aeration would be servicing their equipment regularly, you can’t be sure that a rental company is taking those extra steps.

There are also the logistics involved in a rental. You’ll have to have a truck or trailer to haul the machine back and forth and it may be more difficult to get it in and out of the truck than you anticipated. There’s some risk factor, too. This is a heavy piece of machinery that has the potential to do damage—to yourself and to your property—if it’s not operated correctly.

For all these reasons, it’s not only less hassle to have the service professionally done but it’s also going to give you better results. And on top of all that, you’ll gain peace of mind knowing that it’s being performed properly without the associated risks of doing it on your own.

 

Working with Exscape Designs for Lawn Aeration

At Exscape Designs, we know just how important aeration and overseeding are to a healthy lawn. If you’re looking for a service that’s going to give you major wow factor for your investment, then aeration and overseeding is the way to go. It will help fill in those thin or bare spots and ultimately lead to a lusher, greener lawn that you can be proud of.

Questions? Contact Us