Benefits of Aerating Your Lawn

If you want a healthy lawn that is the envy of your neighbors, be sure to aerate periodically. While aerating by punching holes in the lawn may seem to an unnecessary and tedious chore, in fact, there are numerous benefits of lawn aerating, including the following.

1. Lawn aeration cuts through compacted soil that can block water, nutriments and oxygen from reaching roots.

2. Aeration helps to break up thatch, the grass clippings and other dead material that can accumulate around the base of grass shoots. It also encourages the growth of soil microorganisms that help to break down thatch and to keep it from forming in the first place. Like compacted soil, thatch can act as a barrier to water, food and oxygen.

3. Water is the lifeblood of a healthy lawn. Aeration allows more water to reach the roots of you plants and improves water absorption. Not only does this result in healthier grass with stronger and deeper roots, but it may help to make your lawn more drought resistant.

4. Lawn aeration allows more plant nutriments to reach grass roots. If you don't aerate, your grass may not get the full benefit of the fertilizers that you apply or of natural nutriments in the soil.

5. Aeration helps to boost oxygen levels in the soil.

6. By allowing more food, water and oxygen to reach grass roots, aeration helps to stimulate growth of new roots and shoots.

7. Stronger grass is healthier grass that is more resistant to disease.

8. New growth that fills in the holes that are a byproduct of lawn aeration can result in a denser and, therefore, more attractive lawn.

9. Aeration can be a time saver. Since a healthier lawn is more resistant to problems like disease or insect infestations, it can reduce the amount of time you spend fighting these ills.

10. Aeration can be a money saver. To the extent that a healthy, aerated lawn is able to get the full benefit of the fertilizers you apply and needs less treatment for disease, you will have to spend less money on these products.

11. Aeration can be good for the environment by reducing the amount of fertilizer you use (especially if you use nonorganic products that can be harmful to the environment) and the amount of watering your lawn requires. It also can help to reduce water runoff from your lawn.

12. Aerated lawns are better able to survive harsh winters and to come back strong in the spring.

13. For all the reasons already discussed, aeration improves a lawn's appearance.

Sources:

www.landscapingideasonline.com, Lawn Aeration - Aerate Your Lawn Tips

Kate McIntyre, www.allaboutlawns.com, Your Lawn Needs Air Too: Benefits of Lawn Aerating

Geoffrey Weed, www.ehow.com, About Aerating a Lawn/eHow.com