Which aerator is the best for your lawn will depend on what condition your grass is in. We recommend that you aerate twice a year. Read on and you’ll see what we mean when we say that this is one of the best things that you can do for your lawn.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The purpose of aerators is to enable water and air to penetrate soil that has become compacted. The aerator will add punctures that will help the grass roots to feed and breathe. Here’s how you can tell if you need to aerate your lawn:
- if heavy traffic has been on your lawn and you haven’t aerated it for a while, it could be time to aerate again
- the arrival of brown patches could mean that it’s time to get the aerator out. This could be a sign that water nor air can reach the roots.
- If you see water running off your lawn when it rains, then it’s time to roll out the aerators. The soil could be too compacted for the water to be absorbed.
Aerators are available in a number of different sizes, from a small manual push model to a motorised mechanical aerator. The latter are more suited to the larger lawn or for the lawn of a commercial property that needs to stay looking healthy and green.
For example, let’s take a look at the Handy Hollow Tine Aerator, which is used manually and available at a modest price. It’s recommended that you put on stout footwear as you may need to put some hard graft in to get the best out of this. However, it does a great job of removing around 5cm of soil as you go. Ideally you’ll be using it when the ground is soft, as the harder it is, the more work you’ll need to put in. Even though you’ll need to work for the results, there’s no doubt that the job will be done properly.
If you opt for an aerator machines such as the DR Electric Start Petrol Lawn Aerator, then you’ll enjoy watching your lawn thrive without you needing to put in so much energy. Designed to effectively alleviate the compaction, it will remove plugs of soil to allow the critical nutrients, air and water to enter the root network. It’s your choice whether you set the depth to be either 5 or 7 cm.
To take good care of your lawn, we recommend giving it a good soaking once in a while. If you haven’t had any rain, then just once a week is enough. You’ll want to avoid doing this more than that as it could encourage the growth of thatch, shallow growth of root and you’ll find that it is in fact a waste of water.
Overall, the aerator can make a world of difference to the condition of any lawn and is highly recommended by lawn experts and the likes of Monty Don, the nation’s favourite gardener.