What Is Aeration?

Aeration is one of the single most important treatments you can perform on a lawn. All soils except for the very sandy will suffer from compaction. Compaction is the closing up of the air spaces between the particles of soil, reducing drainage and the exchange of gases between the root and the atmosphere. Compaction also makes it difficult for the roots of the grass to develop properly.

Aeration reduces the conditions that encourage moss and improves the flow of nutrients and gases to the roots. Spiking or hollow tine aeration will not solve chronic drainage problems. It will however improve the flow of moisture from the surface helping the surface to dry out quicker.

Hollow tine aeration removes a core about the size of a small finger from the soil (depending an soil conditions) allowing the earth to expand reducing compaction. This increases the flow of moisture and air penetrating into the soil to the roots.