Breathing Room

Not for you, though that may be nice, I'm talking about breathing room for your turfgrass roots. The end of the growing season is the perfect time to aerate cool-season lawns, like Fescue and Bluegrass.

An aeration helps reduce thatch and compaction, and opens up the soil for better air and nutrient movement. During an aeration, a machine pulls cores from the lawn and deposits them on top of the soil. (These cores break down readily, so there is no reason to rake.)

Lawns with heavy clay soil are especially susceptible to compaction and should be aerated on a regular schedule. Likewise, if you cut a square in the lawn at least 6 inches deep, and the roots of your grass only extend 1-2 inches, it is time to aerate.