Aeration

The Problem

All plants require good quantities of soil air for healthy growth, and grass is just the same. We would never dream about walking over flower and shrub beds as the plants would be damaged and the soil compacted, but this is what we do all summer to our lawns. The underlying soil is compacted and massively reduces the amount of air that enters the soil for healthy grass roots and soil microbes.  The grass suffers during summer heat and also cannot recover from the normal use by families, leading to thin grass cover and even bare areas within the lawn. Soil microbes will not be very active and therefore will not breakdown organic matter on the surface, leading to the formation of thatch.

The Natural Solution

Aeration on a shrub or vegetable patch is carried out by digging over the ground every year, but this is not normally possible for a lawn! Using a machine which punches holes into the lawn surface is the most effective way of relieving soil compaction and reducing thatch, conditions which restrict the movement of water, air and nutrients in the soil, essential elements for naturally green lawns.

Different types of tines are fitted to aeration equipment to suit the specific requirements for the different aeration and treatments that may be needed. The two main types of tines are hollow tubes (called hollow coring), used to remove thatch and compacted soil, and solid spikes, used to punch through compacted surfaces to underlying well structured soil.

At The Great Lawn Company, we do not have a standard one-fits-all treatment, but will identify your unique problems and apply the correct solution. Also, unlike other lawn care companies, we clean up your garden after aeration, not leaving you to pick up hundreds of earth plugs! This waste can then be composted and applied as a useful natural fertiliser to assist in plant growth.

The Benefits

Aeration is as essential for good lawns as fertilising. In a well aerated soil, your lawn will stay healthy even during times of heat and heavy use. The treatment ensures grass roots are able to breathe and make use of applied fertilisers, and soil microbes are able to break down thatch and help to deter disease organisms.