How much is too much when it comes to areating

15003 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Doppelganger, May 6, 2004

Jeffd1979

Discussion Starter · May 1, 2004

I recently just bought an areator from home depot.. it is one i pull behind the 4 wheeler and it pulls plugs.. I areated this week.. I only went over the areas 1 time with it.. WHen looking at the lawn it definatly pulled plugs but i am thinking i may have been able to do it more.. Would it be ok to do it again in a month? or should i wait till next fall.. This is a new house since last sept. The ground in very hard in some places now. So should i do it again or would that be overkill?

Save

1 - 12 of 12 Posts

Josey Wales

· #2 · May 1, 2004

Aerating is one of few things where too much of a good thing isn't really bad. I've aerated my yard 4 times in one season once trying to break up some bad thatch but I think you will eventually reach a point of wasted labor and diminishing return. I aerate usually once but no more than twice a season normally.

I can picture a yard being aerated so much that it might as well been tilled lol.

I'd be curious to see what the plugs look like coming from a Home Depot aerator. Do you happen to have a camera so you can post some pics? Any plug is better than no plug but I'd be dissappointed if I couldn't get at least 1.5" to 2"

Save

ElephantNest

· #3 · May 1, 2004

I would have gone over the areas 3 times on the same day. All from different directions. That'll do it.

Save

Jeffd1979

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 2, 2004

Originally posted by Josey Wales
Aerating is one of few things where too much of a good thing isn't really bad. I've aerated my yard 4 times in one season once trying to break up some bad thatch but I think you will eventually reach a point of wasted labor and diminishing return. I aerate usually once but no more than twice a season normally.

I can picture a yard being aerated so much that it might as well been tilled lol.

I'd be curious to see what the plugs look like coming from a Home Depot aerator. Do you happen to have a camera so you can post some pics? Any plug is better than no plug but I'd be dissappointed if I couldn't get at least 1.5" to 2"

They accually are not bad to be honest.. i will post some pics of them tommorrow.. My father in law accually bought it for me so hey it was free.. Better then nothing.. Put about 150lbs of weight on the back of it so it dug in deep!

Save

McHouck

· #5 · May 2, 2004

Which one did you get from Home Depot and how much?

Save

Josey Wales

· #6 · May 2, 2004

Originally posted by Jeffd1979
They accually are not bad to be honest.. i will post some pics of them tommorrow.. My father in law accually bought it for me so hey it was free.. Better then nothing.. Put about 150lbs of weight on the back of it so it dug in deep!

Cool! Sounds like you have a winner then.

Nothing stirs the pot like a good aeration and afterward it's a great time to make an application of fertilizer, lime, pre-emergent etc....

Lookin' forward to the pics

Save

Critical Care

· #7 · May 2, 2004

I think that you would wear yourself out first rather than the lawn from over-aerating. You may, however, consider doing a dethatch job every year or two in the spring following aeration.

Save

Jeffd1979

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 2, 2004

Originally posted by Critical Care
I think that you would wear yourself out first rather than the lawn from over-aerating. You may, however, consider doing a dethatch job every year or two in the spring following aeration.

Well i pull it with a 4 wheeler so it does not take much energy!

How do i dethatch?? i know you guys will probably laugh but i don't have any idea what that is.. i saw something at lowes that had what looked like rake that i could pull with the 4 wheeler that said something about thatch.. what good does it do? will it make my lawn look like crap?

Save

Jeffd1979

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 2, 2004

Josey Wales: sorry man i was going to take a pic of some of the plugs when i got home today but we got such a heavy rain today it all about destroyed any of the ones that were left.. i plan on areating again in a few weeks.. i will take some pics then..

Save

Critical Care

· #10 · May 3, 2004

Yep, as long as you don't have a bunch of tight areas that you have to get into, the four wheeler is the way to go for aeration.

If you look at your aeration plugs closely you should see layers to it. Besides seeing grass and dirt, you will probably also see in the middle a layer of thatch that looks and feels like matted dead grass. Thatch acts a bit like a sponge, and too much will hinder the ability of the grass roots to get moisture and nutrients. Thatch also is like a breeding ground for many turf diseases. If you only mulch your lawn, chances are youre building up thatch quicker than it will decompose. Is it more than .5 thick? When you take a hard rake and run it back and forth several times on your grass do you pull up thatch?

Thatching done wrong can tear up a lawn, especially with a power rake, but done right the lawn could really appreciate it.

See less See more

Save

Jeffd1979

Discussion Starter · #11 · May 3, 2004

Well my lawn has only been established since sept of last year so there is not to much dead grass like you are talking about yet.. but i will keep my eye on it.

Originally posted by Critical Care
Yep, as long as you don't have a bunch of tight areas that you have to get into, the four wheeler is the way to go for aeration.

If you look at your aeration plugs closely you should see layers to it. Besides seeing grass and dirt, you will probably also see in the middle a layer of thatch that looks and feels like matted dead grass. Thatch acts a bit like a sponge, and too much will hinder the ability of the grass roots to get moisture and nutrients. Thatch also is like a breeding ground for many turf diseases. If you only mulch your lawn, chances are youre building up thatch quicker than it will decompose. Is it more than .5 thick? When you take a hard rake and run it back and forth several times on your grass do you pull up thatch?

Thatching done wrong can tear up a lawn, especially with a power rake, but done right the lawn could really appreciate it.

Save

Doppelganger

· #12 · May 6, 2004

I areate in the fall with 2 passes and then again in the spring with 1 pass...... I'm no expert though.....

Save

1 - 12 of 12 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month