If you are to keep your lawn green and healthy, there are many steps that you will have to follow. While individuals may be aware of the need to water, mow and fertilize the lawn, they may not realize the role that aerating the ground will play, and this can lead to them overlooking this option. 

Aerating The Lawn Can Help To Keep It Healthy And Full

Aerating the lawn can be instrumental in allowing the lawn's root system to develop and spread through the soil. Failing to aerate the lawn each year can cause the soil to become compacted. Once this occurs, the roots may no longer be able to spread through the soil, and this could contribute to substantial health problems for the grass. In some cases, the grass may even become considerably thinner as the compacted soil could severely restrict both the spreading of the roots as well as the ability of water to seep through the soil. During the aeration process, small plugs of soil will be pulled from the ground, and this will loosen the soil enough to allow the roots of the grass to spread through it.

A Tow-Behind Turf Aerator Can Allow You To Easily Complete This Routine Maintenance

A homeowner may assume that aerating the soil will require a professional to oversee. However, the reality is that there are tow-behind aerators that you can buy for your riding lawn mower. These devices can be easily connected to the back of the lawn mower so that the soil will be aerated as it moves over it. For the best results, the driver will want to make sure that they are driving at a slow speed to ensure the aerator is able to evenly remove these plugs from the ground.

Assess The Soil Conditions Before Aerating The Lawn

Before you start aerating your lawn, you will want to assess the overall condition of the soil. Ideally, it is easiest to aerate a lawn that has slightly damp soil. The wet soil can give more easily to the aerator so that it will provide more consistent results. However, it is important for the soil to not be excessively wet. If this were to occur, the aerator may be unable to remove plugs from the ground. For these reasons, individuals are typically advised to aerate their lawn several hours after watering it. This will allow the water to soak through the soil and begin to dry so that it will be the right consistency for use with aerators.

To learn more about tow-behind turf aerators, contact a garden equipment supplier in your area such as Sweep-All.