Commercial Turf Aeration
Aeration, also called coring, is the process of alleviating soil compaction in a lawn by removing small cores or plugs of soil in a consistent pattern across the surface.
What is soil compaction and why is it a problem?
Soil compaction is one of the greatest challenges facing groundsmen, farmers and anyone wanting to cultivate the soil to grow things in.
Soil compaction occurs when individual soil particles are pressed together, creating a physical barrier that prevents air, water, and nutrients from reaching the root zone where they can be absorbed.
In a home lawn, this is less of an issue; however, it is certainly a problem on a school oval or similarly high-traffic area where constant use compacts the soil over time.
What is aeration/coring and how does it help?
Lawn aeration or coring involves using a machine to remove small cores/plugs of soil from the lawn or turf in a consistent pattern across the surface of the grass. The key word here is “remove”. A misconception about aerating is that a pitchfork or similar instrument can be used to achieve the same effect.
The action of a pitchfork can temporarily break through that compacted soil or thatch layer, but it’s effects won’t last, meaning it can be a time-consuming task with little or no effect.
This is in contrast with the use of a genuine lawn corer, which removes the plugs and has long lasting effects.
What are the benefits of aeration/coring?
Over time, turf can become compacted or develop a thick layer of thatch. When this happens, it’s harder for air, water and nutrients to reach the root zone which is where they’re absorbed.
The benefits of lawn coring/aeration are:
- Promote deeper root growth resulting in a stronger, more resilient lawn
- Reduced irrigation needs as more water will reach the root zone
- Allow more nutrients to reach the root zone
- Reduce compaction and thatch build up
- Reduce water puddling and runoff after rain
- Enhanced heat stress tolerance
How often should I aerate my lawn if I’m in Perth?
The frequency of this maintenance really depends on the amount of use (traffic) the turf receives. A small school oval might need this done every school holidays, whereas a soccer pitch or football oval that is only used during the playing season may require it just once a year.
Coring/aerating a lawn provides very little stress to the lawn and can be done at any time throughout the year.
Get in touch to find out whether your turf could benefit from a professional aerating treatment.
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