How to aerate your lawn?

If you have incorporated basic cultural practices into your lawn care routine such as proper watering, regular mowing and fertilizer use, it is now time for you to consider other practices, which should be done once in a while, but will bring great benefits to your lawn.

To maintain a beautiful green and healthy lawn so that you can lie in your garden under the sun in the summer, it is necessary to aerate your lawn in spring. During the year, your lawn undergoes several stresses, such as trampling or frequent mowing, which have the effect of compacting the soil and blocking the supply of oxygen to the roots.

If you want to take advantage of your land during the summer, aeration is a very important cultural practice to incorporate into your gardening routine!

What is aeration?

Aeration facilitates the exchange of gases between the soil and the atmosphere. It consists in making small holes in the ground, about ten centimeters deep, in order to decompact the soil. The idea is to create a kind of channel that allows air, water and nutrients to better penetrate the soil. In this process, it is also important to remove the excess straw or moss that grows between the grass and the soil, as they could suffocate the roots.

Digging holes superficially removes the felt, a layer on the surface of the lawn that is made up of soil mixed with leftover leaves, stems and roots. Felt is beneficial up to a certain thickness (1 cm or less). However, when the thickness is greater, it can significantly reduce the amount of air, water and compost that reaches the roots. It can also promote the appearance of fungi and diseases.

What equipment is needed for scarification?

To aerate your lawn, you will need the following tools:

• A lawn mower
• A lawn aerator (you can also use a spike aerator or lawn aerator shoes)
• River sand
• A shovel
• A leaf rake

Steps to aerate your lawn 

1. Planning

You should plan to aerate once a year, in the middle of spring. However, if your lawn problems are very pressing or if your spring maintenance has not produced the desired results, you can consider aerating in the fall as well.

2. Water and mow the lawn

Before you start scarifying or aerating, make sure to water your lawn well so that the soil is not too dry. We also recommend mowing the lawn. These two practices will make your job easier.

Caution: The soil should be fertilized a few weeks before aeration or, if not possible, immediately after.

3. Pass the aerator twice

Scarification should be done according to the degree of compactness of the soil in each part of the garden. For very compact areas, it is advisable to pass the aerating roller several times, leaving less than 10 centimeters of space between the holes.

Aeration is best done in two passes, the second perpendicular to the first, so that they cross.

4. Spread sand

Once the soil is aerated, make sure to spread river sand over the entire surface of your lawn. In this way, you will prevent the holes from closing too quickly. The use of river sand is recommended, because it is not too fine so it will not compact. You can use a shovel to spread the sand.

5. Fill the holes with sand

Make sure to fill the holes with sand by using a leaf rake. Once all 5 steps have been completed, water the lawn.

Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need assistance with lawn care. Our team of experts will be happy to help you!