aeration now? Clay soil

[mac43rn]

I have a lawn that was seeded in sept of 2001. Came in quite nice. The soil is predominalty clay and very hard. I had some areas that were not growing and begining to turn yellow. I went ahead a aerated those areas in middle may and now they are a georgous deep green. My question is this, should I aerated the rest of the lawn as well. The rest of the lawn is growing but has a slight yellow tinge to it, even with proper fertilization. Soil sample test is fine, ph is fine. Again, this is clay soil and it is compacted. Any suggestions?

[RoyaleRcr]

I would have aerated the entire yard. I specialize in aerating and organics. I have almost never seen a yard that aeration won't improve. If you want to do it now it may catch up but be careful with any pre-em barrier put down. Of course that is probably already gone. I would aerate and then put down something with iron to get the color back. Watch the N tho.

[MOW ED]

I think you answered your own question. We have rock hard clay here also and aeration is the cure. If you can assure adequate moisture then I would core it. You covered all the other bases and I am assuming that you have runoff on those compacted areas. Take some before and after pictures so we can see how it works. Good Luck.

[mac43rn]

Well, I am going to aerate this weekend. I have irrigation so water should not be a problem.

Thanks

[lawnstudent]

I specialize in aeration as well. Just be aware that an aerated lawn is going to dry out much quicker, especially when the heat and drought set in this summer. Good luck.

jim

[WashMoBrink]

Evansville? Lived there for 5 years, and it's sure going to cook in another couple weeks or a month. Could you sell them on pressed and shredded manure worked into the soil this fall with an overseed to loosen and help establish it?

[mac43rn]

I am going to hop on this probably first of the week. Since you specialize in core aeration, what are your opinions of crabgrass coming in after I break the barrier?

[leeslawncare]

I have heard that gypsum will "loosen" up hard clay .If I'am right or wrong someone let me know ?If it does i would try that also

[lawnstudent]

Some of the guys here have posted that a University study shows that there is little to worry about with aeration after putting down a pre-emergence barrier. I doubt that crab seed will germinate in the vertical walls of an aerated hole. The cores on top of the grass dissolve into a pretty thin layer of soil. This latter is probably your biggest risk.

Gypsum to break up clay? It works on the soils out west. I badger my Hort. instructors with this question all the time and they all are consistant in telling me that the clays here in the midwest do not repond to gypsum like the soils out west. I can only assume that this is also true for the soils in the northeast.

jim