Aeration

Aeration is one of the most underused processes in lawn care but has many key benefits to the process been carried out.
This process should be carried out as many times in the year as possible.
Ideally, the condition is frost-free, the surface is dry but the soil beneath is moist and should not be done in a drought or very warm conditions.

What is Aeration?

Aeration is a process that creates vertical holes within the soil. This then allows air, water and fertiliser that feeds the grass plant reach down to the roots of the plant.
This will then create deeper rooting roots, that helps create a healthy plant, the lawn becomes stronger and makes the lawn more tolerant to stress due to foot traffic or pets that run on it.

Top After aeration and before

Aeration will help with surface water build-up, as the holes allow the water to drain through the soils profile and any thatch that is holding water and moisture.

Please remember that grass is a plant and it needs air too.
Before and 3 weeks after aeration. Just like any other plant would. By aerating you are allowing this, which in turns helps good bacteria in the soil to dominate and creates naturally good soil biology for your lawn.

There is a selection of tines you can use, but the two main types that are used in lawn care are:

Solid tines:  penetrates through the soil similar process to inserting a garden fork into the soil, this process should be carried out at least twice a year. The tine is solid with no holes.

solid tine left hollow tine right

Hollow tines: this physically removes a soil core to leave the soil open, the holes created will close eventually, but this process is done on compacted soils and heavily thatched lawns. The tines are hollow to allow removal of earth.

How to aerate?

Aerating can be done in various ways, from using hand tools, electrical machines and petrol self-propelled machines.

The most common hand tool is a hand fork.
To use a hand folk you would insert the folk in the soil to a depth between 2-4 inches. DON’T wiggle or lift the turf with the folk while it is in the soil as this can damage roots and kill off the affected part. This is very time consuming and tiring.

The petrol machines that are self-propelled have a throttle similar to a lawnmower to activate the tines to go up and down, or round on a cylinder type aerator. You will also have a lever to lower the tines down to the soil.
These machines are expensive to buy and hire.

We do offer aeration.

Our prices start from:

Basic aeration……..From £40.00
solid tines

Advanced aeration..From £50.00
Hollow tines Plus collection of cores
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.