The most beneficial thing you can do for your lawn in the Fall to assure a healthy yard with less effort in the Spring is aeration and seeding. Aerating and dethatching are best done when a lawn can take some abuse and recover easily. Fall is perfect due to the cool air temperatures and warm soil temperatures. Dethatching and aerating should be done before over-seeding to ensure the seed makes direct contact with the soil. Aeration is allowing air, water, and nutrients to circulate through your lawn by creating small holes in the soil. And seeding, as it sounds, involves spreading grass seed. The small holes in the soil create the ideal condition for the new grass seeds to root.
Alleviate Soil Compaction
The main reason for aerating is to alleviate soil compaction. Compacted soils have too many solid particles in a certain volume or space, which prevents proper circulation of air, water and nutrients within the soil. Excess lawn thatch or heavy organic debris buried under the grass surface can also starve the roots from these essential elements. This compaction happens in spots that are frequent paths for people or animals, or places that have been long-time homes to things like picnic tables and sports nets. When the soil isn’t compacted, the grass roots grow deeper, creating the ideal environment for a healthier lawn. Before you get started, make sure the soil is moist enough. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to aerate soil that is bone dry. Aerating the day after a rain shower or watering your lawn the day before is advised.
Prevent Patches
Your lawn may look healthy now but you might be looking at a patchy mess when the weather heats up again. Aeration does amazing things for a yard and is a great way to boost the look and health of your lawn. Cold, snowy winters aren’t good for your lawn. Aeration and seeding ensure new grass is ready to fill in any patchy spots.
Reduce Puddles
If you have well drained soil, the trapped water usually soaks in. If you have heavy clay soil, the water lays there, and the soil underneath becomes very compacted, and the problem compounds itself. The more water that stands, the worse the drainage gets. Do you notice a puddle after it rains? If the soil is not properly aerated, the rainwater will not be able to adequately seep into the soil and will form puddles across your lawn. By aerating the soil, the rain and moisture will seep into the ground and not stay on top.
Less Work Later
Fall is the best time to do some preparatory lawn care. Most gardeners and lawn care experts agree that if they could choose just one season to put effort into maintaining their lawn, it would be fall. If you play your cards right before winter hits, you’ll set yourself up for a beautiful, lush lawn next spring. So, get busy now and next spring, you will not be the one trying to amend the winter’s damage because you prepared ahead of time.
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About A & A Lawn Care & Landscaping
A & A Lawn Care & Landscaping can beautify your lawn and landscaping using our vast experience in turf grass management. Our complete lawn service is designed for both residential and commercial lawns and we keep your lawn healthy without harming your family, staff, or pets.
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