How often do lawns need to be aerated with a spike?
Question:We have a new lawn and would like to aerate it to keep the grass healthy. Do we need to buy a spike / fork? How often do we need to aerate, and what gap between holes is appropriate?
Answers:
At least once a Year at the end of the Growing Season.
Spike at least Twice during the Rainy Season.
Earler the Better and at the end.Feed in the fall before the first Frost.
aerate at least twice a year early spring and early fall so the nutrient can penetrate the soil,you can rent a machine at a rental center to do it
aeration should be used in the middle of may, and anytime the ground compacts to a concrete feel. If you can't push your fingers semi readily into the soil, you can aerate. I wouldnt go nuts with more than 3 times per year. Depending on the size of your lawn, it surely is best to rent one from a local supplier. It is rather inexpensive to rent for 1/2 a day and will do the job saving your back and muscles from tedious labor when its easily achieved with a machine. After you aerate give a good fertilizing and the grass will grow back thicker and healthier than ever before. I hope this helps, good luck. (seeing it is July, it is perfectly safe to aerate now also seeing you haven't yet this year)
encourage the worms- they'll do it for you
if not - gap of forks should be @ 2"
one of the easy ways is to buy a pair of golf shoes and always wear them when working in your yard or cutting grass. Also once a month place some cheap dish soap in a sprayer on the end of your hose and spray entire lawn. This helps to keep the soil loose and not harden and form cracks. If you want to keep it insect free and not worry about chemicals, then place the contents of one half bag chewing tobacco pouch into an old nylon stocking, place it in a one gallon container with water. Let it sit for one week after you spray the dish soap on your lawn. Then spray the bug juice you just made on your lawn and shrubs. Insects hate the taste and will move to your neighbors lawn. Try spray some cheap beer on your lawn also, the contents are great for fertilizer and won't burn your lawn. I have the greenest lawn on the block and thick grass.
Depends on soil type. If heavy, suggest about every two months. Aerate the whole area evenly.
Depends on ur soil conditions. Mines heavy clay and normally I do 1-2 a year but this summer Ive bin out there 4-5 times in the last 6 weeks trying to get rid of all this soddin water.
within reason as often as you can, it helps to keep the lawn soft and helps to keep the drainage clear. the golf shoes idea works well, as well as airating feeding is important. you say it is a new lawn, how new? if it is less than a couple of months old then be careful what you do to it, let it really start to grow, cut it often and don't over water it, water too often and you will only encourage the roots to be lazy, they will stay near the surface, you need them to have to go deep for water. good luck.
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