How to aerate your lawn?

Some compaction may occur on an old lawn where, overtime, the soil naturally compacts. Where the lawn turf gets walked on regularly in the same area, especially when wet, it may also get compacted. Compacted soil results in poor soil aeration and restricts air, water and fertiliser penetration resulting in thin unhealthy grass.

Aerate the soil to a depth of 7 to 10 centimetres (3-4″) extracting soil cores (small lumps of clay) which can either be removed or broken down and left on the soil surface. A power driven aerator is the most effective method to relieve compaction. An additional benefit is the control of thatch, if it is present.

Aeration should take place when the lawn is actively growing and when the soil is moist but not wet.  The best time to perform aeration is following the third cut of the Spring season or else in September.

Aeration can also help the lawn through drought stress conditions, enabling water retention in the crucial root zone. The opposite is also the case; flooding or waterlogging may occur if the soil is compacted.

As a rule of thumb, you should consider aerating your lawn every 1-2 years. For specific soil types and conditions you may need to aerate more frequently.