Aeration & Dethatching

Aeration is highly recommended by many lawn professionals, but what is it, and why do we need it? Aeration involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the grass roots. This helps the roots grow deeply and produces a stronger, more vigorous lawn. Aeration helps to alleviate soil compactions. The need for aeration can be determined by the following:

Outdoor area gets heavy use
- Children play frequently outdoors
- Pet relief on lawn
Sod was installed as part of a newly constructed home
- Often, topsoil on new lots are striped or buried with heavy equipment during construction, and the grass is established in sub-soil
Your lawn dries out easily or has a spongy feel
Soil layering
- Leads to compacted conditions
- Causes poor root development

We normally recommend aeration for all lawns once a year, but a consultation is always beneficial, as each lawn has different needs. The following are the benefits of the aeration service:

Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere
Enhanced water uptake
Improved fertilizer uptake
Reduced water runoff
Stronger roots
Reduced soil compaction
Improved resiliency and cushioning
Enhanced thatch breakdown

Thatch is layer between your growing grass on the surface, and the belowground root system. Comprised of leaves, stems and roots, thatch forms as a natural part of the growing process. As long as this layer remains between 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 of an inch, it contributes to lawn health. Issues arise when thatch develops into a thicker layer and forms a wedge between the grass and soil. This can diminish lawn health in the following ways:

Forming a layer that prevents water, fertilizer and insect or disease control from reaching the soil
Blocks sunlight from reaching lower grass blasé
Holds an excessive amount of moisture that can foster disease
Creates an uneven lawn, which leads to uneven mowing and scalping of the grass blades

Ways to tell if AK Lawn Care can help dethatch your lawn are:

A spongy or bouncy feel
Can you see the soil below your turf? If not, you’re likely looking at a thick layer of thatch.
Excavate a lawn sample to measure the layer

The best time to dethatch your lawn is dependent upon the type of grass your property contains. Warm seasons grasses are in their prime in late Spring, whereas cold season grass is dethatched in early Spring or Fall; proper timing is necessary so that grass can recover from the stress of the procedure.

AK Lawn Care recognizes that every lawn needs specific types of care to add to its beauty and usability. We will always work diligently to provide you with custom aeration or dethatching solutions. For a detailed quote or more information, please call 734-439-3063.