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Core
Aeration
The buildup of thatch on your lawn is a natural process that,
unfortunately, may cause problems. Thatch can become so thick that
it prevents nutrients from reaching grass roots. Thatch also holds
moisture at the surface of your lawn which encourages fungus growth.
As little as one-half inch of thatch can be unhealthy.
Contrary to popular belief, thatch is not unremoved clippings.
Rather, the upper root zone and the sheath or crown of grass are
slightly woody, containing lignin and cellulose which don't readily
break down. Slowed breakdown causes the build up of thatch. I have
always recommended removing the thatch and I think the newer process
of core aeration is best. I believe it is the better option for
you and your lawn.
De-thatching uses a tined power rake that literally brings the
old dead grass parts to the surface, allowing us to rake them up
and carry them away. Unfortunately, this process tears up a lot
of good grass in the process. In addition, there are few places
to dispose of the thatch collected since normal landfills do not
accept lawn clippings any longer. Regardless of these obstacles,
we still need to get rid of thatch. I think the process of core
aeration is the more appropriate alternative to de-thatching.
Core aeration
also uses a machine, but instead of tearing up the grass, cores
of soil and grass are removed. This is not a "pushing
in" or "indentation" process. The cores are actually
removed and are about three-eighths inch in diameter and about
one to one and one-half inches long. The process should be done
when the lawn is moist enough to get cores of this size. The cores
are left on top of the grass to degrade. Granted, it looks like
hundreds of tiny dogs have made a mess on your grass, but it doesn't
last long and the benefits to your lawn far out-weigh explanations
to curious passers-by.
The holes create what I like to call mini-composting sites. They
allow the thatch to break down naturally by aerating the soil and
grass root systems. Leaving the cores also provides the active
bacteria for the natural processes to occur. This process leaves
an enhanced root development area encouraging new growth. You now
have space for air, water and fertilizer to get where it's supposed
to go, rather than being trapped within the thatch layer.
The core aeration device can vary in distance between holes. You
can also run the machine across your lawn twice at different angles
to double the number of cores removed from your soil. Machines
can be rented or you can hire a lawn service to aerate your lawn
for you.
As I mentioned, you should just leave the cores alone and they
will dissipate back into the soil. I have also raked some of them
up and placed them in a low spot on my yard to build it back up.
It works fairly well as a way to top-dress small, shallow areas.
I used to have my lawn aerated every three years, but I have seen
such an enormous benefit to my grass that I now have it done yearly.
In some really densely thatched lawns, you can core-aerate in both
spring and fall for a year or two to help reclaim your lawn. It's
a process that not only benefits the grass, but makes your whole
home site look better.
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