[bugguy8]

I am thinking of doing Aeration and De-thatching.

When is the best time of year or what months are best to do Aeration?

How many times a year can it be done and still be use full ?

How much do you charge for Aeration and how much for De-thatching?

Thanks

 

[dave k]

There is no need to aerate sandy soil, it perks just fine, most sod in Fl. doesn't need dethatching either, unless its Bahia, IMHO

 

[fl-landscapes]

There is no need to aerate sandy soil, it perks just fine, most sod in Fl. doesn't need dethatching either, unless its Bahia, IMHO

No thatching???? Zoysia st augustine and bermuda all need regular thatching!! Bahia needs it the least...it needs iron supplement a lower pH and overseeding. Lot of golf courses wasting money aerating all the time.

 

[bugguy8]

Thanks for the advice....

Anyone else have any good advice?

 

[fl-landscapes]

Thanks for the advice....

Anyone else have any good advice?

The time to aerate is when you have compacted areas of soil. There is no season for it really just a rememdy to soil compaction in florida. If your doing pre-m on the turf you may want to aerate prior because you will bring up weed seed and break the barrier you formed with the pre-m.

 

[bugguy8]

Thanks Fl-Landscapes..... Good Advice.......

 

[fl-landscapes]

Thanks Fl-Landscapes..... Good Advice.......

No problem. As far as verti-cutting goes just be sure to do it during the growing season so it recovers quickly. If you do it during the winter months the turf will not look good for a longer period of time and it's not healthy for the turf to stress it out and not have it be able to recover.

 

[bugguy8]

Verti-Cutting? Sorry, Im not up to par on the Lawn care Lingo yet.

Are you referring to Aeration?

And what should I look for in an Aerator so I know its a good piece of equipment that will benefit the customer the most?

 

[fl-landscapes]

verti-cutting is one way of de-thatching a lawn and in my opinion the best way. There are power rakes but I don't think the do as good a job especially on St augustine grass. I would do a search on this site about aerators and you'll find a ton of info but definitly look at the "lawn solutions" aerator. It looks great!

 

[bugguy8]

Thanks..... I will check out veri-cutting.

Is that what you are doing?

 

[fl-landscapes]

Thanks..... I will check out veri-cutting.

Is that what you are doing?

Thats what I do to remove thatch yes. And aerate when I top dress compost

 

[ArTurf]

I don't live in Fla. I live in south Arkansas where I work with a variety of soils, clay to sandy. I feel it is beneficial to aerate all types of soils. I usually do it at least once a year and twice on heavy clay soils. The yards that receive aeration seem to do much better than the ones that do not. There is no doubt it helps. I know a person that manages our golf course and talk grass with him, if golf courses did not aerate you wouldn't have much of a course after long.

 

[scottgalat]

12 month's a year is aeration season in Fl.
Usually fl. aerations are not done for soil compaction, although even sandy soils compact and sometimes need aerating. Primary reason is for thatch control in St. Augustine grass. It is supposed to be done EACH YEAR. This info comes from those that invented FLORATAM, the Universities of Fl. and Texas A&M.
My own observations confirm this, having done 11,000 homes and watching the results closely.
Fl. lawns benefit. Thatch is a problem and aeration is the only non-destructive methood of control.
Also THATCH COMPACTION is an issue only addressed by a good aeration.
The thach compaction forms at the soil service and obstructs anything from passing into the soil (ever hear of a thatch roof ?) Text books won't tell you about that but examine the soil service and see if a 1/4" of dense, dry, crusted thatch is present. If so, what do you do about it ? AERATE.
Punch 100,000 holes in it....no problem
That thatch "cap" is keeping water and fertilizer and all the good stuff from reaching the soil, where the roots are supposed to be. It is forcing rooting to occur in the thatch layer which can be devastating eventually.
Aerate any month in Fl., you are focusing on thatch, and it dosen't care what month it is. I would not aerate on a day where you will see freezing temps (Yep that happens in fl.) or if a freeze is forcast in the next few days.
Some roots are exposed and the grass won't like that.
100 degrees is fine, but running the aerater that day sucks.

 

[Landscape Poet]

12 month's a year is aeration season in Fl.
Usually fl. aerations are not done for soil compaction, although even sandy soils compact and sometimes need aerating. Primary reason is for thatch control in St. Augustine grass. It is supposed to be done EACH YEAR. This info comes from those that invented FLORATAM, the Universities of Fl. and Texas A&M.
My own observations confirm this, having done 11,000 homes and watching the results closely.
Fl. lawns benefit. Thatch is a problem and aeration is the only non-destructive methood of control.
Also THATCH COMPACTION is an issue only addressed by a good aeration.
The thach compaction forms at the soil service and obstructs anything from passing into the soil (ever hear of a thatch roof ?) Text books won't tell you about that but examine the soil service and see if a 1/4" of dense, dry, crusted thatch is present. If so, what do you do about it ? AERATE.
Punch 100,000 holes in it....no problem
That thatch "cap" is keeping water and fertilizer and all the good stuff from reaching the soil, where the roots are supposed to be. It is forcing rooting to occur in the thatch layer which can be devastating eventually.
Aerate any month in Fl., you are focusing on thatch, and it dosen't care what month it is. I would not aerate on a day where you will see freezing temps (Yep that happens in fl.) or if a freeze is forcast in the next few days.
Some roots are exposed and the grass won't like that.
100 degrees is fine, but running the aerater that day sucks.

With all that said, do you not agree that a properly done verticut is much more effective on removing thatch than aeration? The only down side that I can see to verticut if properly done vs aeration is that it CAN NOT be done year round.