Fall Lawn Aeration

Recently the greater Midwest region has been experiencing drought conditions.  This has not made it easy for lawncare, or annual maintenance, that is usually conducted in the fall.  One positive experience when undergoing times of environmental stress is the possibility to see flaws that are usually covered up, or otherwise hidden.  This is a perfect time to access situations like compaction, low grass densities or poor root growth in yards. 

Once a lawn is established, it makes alterations or “fixing” issues very difficult and time consuming.  The good news is that with the right tools, knowledge and some patience most issues if not all can be resolved.  When scouting a lawn during drought conditions the easiest, and most noticeable, concerns will be the different colors.  What makes turf brown, green or a shade in-between starts with the question, why?  Usually, the weeds will still stay green during times of stress, and the grass will go dormant.  This causes large patches to turn brown and if uniform potentially the whole yard. 

This is when the caretaker will notice the sins of the past as well.  There will be brown, or yellow, areas caused by compaction or poor drainage.  This is from the grass not having a vigorous root system due to poor porosity in the soil, or potentially a hardpan from topsoil being brought in then dumped on hard clays during the construction of structures.  High traffic areas will also show signs of abuse as soil moisture declines. 

Compacted areas are difficult to manage in established lawns, however, depending on how deep the compaction is, it can be amended.  For the Midwest, the freezing and thawing over the winter months helps.  If it is surface or shallow compaction, using a core aerator will promote better root development over time and help increase the amount of air in the soil.  There are several different turf aerator types on the market.  Using a ride-on, hydraulic core aerator will be the best option for depth and getting the largest core size especially during drought conditions.

More than likely, this will not be a one-season fix.   Depending on soil type, grass species and severity, it may take several seasons.  The core aerator will promote soil contact with the surface of the grass.  This helps with the breakdown of thatch.  Thatch is a layer of dead grass located on the soil surface.  It is when grass accumulates faster than decomposed.

Once the lawn has been aerated, this is a perfect time to overseed, fertilize and adjust pH if necessary.  Some of the larger aeration tools allow a 5” core to be pulled.  This enables a perfect area for pH buffering materials to enter a lower profile.  Soil is then exposed, creating better seed to soil contact and fertilizing, for example nitrogen, will promote the breakdown of the season’s thatch as well.