Lawn aeration - piercing the turf to a certain depth to ventilate the soil, improve gas exchange between atmospheric and soil oxygen. Due to manipulation, water, nutrients and oxygen will flow better to the roots. As a result, the lawn will acquire an attractive appearance. 
Source: gardengear.ru
Why a lawn needs aeration
Zones with caked and hardened substrate appear on the lawn. Because of this, moisture and nutrients do not enter well. Carbon dioxide also accumulates, which interferes with plant growth.
If you do not carry out scarification for a long time (cleaning the lawn), the following undesirable effects occur:
- the appearance of the lawn worsens, weeds and moss begin to grow, dry clearings appear;
- grass loses resistance to precipitation, frost.
Correct this will help aeration of the lawn. Moreover, it is not necessary to do it throughout the territory, it is enough in problem areas.
What time of the year do aeration
When it is possible to carry out manipulation depends on the grass growing on the territory. If fescue or bluegrass, you can aerate only in autumn, as these plants are late (but no later than the month of October).
For heat-loving grass (for example, Bermuda), the procedure can be performed in late spring or early summer.
To determine if aeration is needed, you can use the following method:
- With a spatula, remove a piece of land from the lawn.
- Inspect the grass rhizomes.
- If they are small (up to 50 mm), immediate ventilation is required, as not enough oxygen and nutrients are supplied.
It is enough to carry it out 1 time per season (in spring or early autumn). However, in some cases a larger quantity is needed:
- sports turfs (for example, on a football field) - 2-3 p .;
- adverse climate (for example, frequent and heavy rainfall or drought) - additional ventilation;
- moss, yellow grass, etc. - immediate aeration.
Sandy soil needs to be ventilated 1 time, clayey soil - 2-3, since it is subject to pressing.
How to do aeration
Airing is mechanical, factory and do-it-yourself.
Methodology of the procedure:
- piercing with metal pins without displacing the substrate;
- specialized tools - aerators (soil is extracted with a circumference of 1-2 cm and scattered).
There are several types of aerators:
- core - not very compact the soil, well remove the dried layer;
- rake from thin steel rods of a crescent shape - make a horizontal incision in the soil, combing out dry grass;
- aerator soles where teeth are attached to the bottom of the boots to walk on the lawn;
- self-propelled machines - for in-depth ventilation with good performance.
Step-by-step process:
- Aeration in a drought will harm lawn plants, so the manipulation is not carried out in hot weather.
- Moisten the lawn a couple of days before the event. You can carry it out after precipitation.
- Make punctures in rows with an overlap of 3-4 cm (if the density of the earth is too high, you will need another hole at an angle of 90 degrees to the 1st).
- Wait 2 days for the dried up clumps of earth to dry. Grind them, fertilize, water the lawn.
- If there were bald spots, sow them with seeds and only then grind the clods, level and water.
With the right actions, the grass will turn green, it will grow faster in a week.
How exactly do aerators work?
At its core, aeration is loosening. Therefore, all devices for manipulation are equipped with spikes up to 15 cm in length or hollow tubes of 15-20 mm for soil displacement.
Automatic devices
Lawn aerators are designed for ventilation under the grass layer. This can be achieved thanks to punctures in the substrate and partial removal of the fallen soil.
There are devices that can immediately make scarification, aeration and verticalization of the lawn.
How to make aeration with a pitchfork
This method is suitable if the plot is not very large. Because to make reciprocating movements from the bottom up for a long time is a dreary and difficult task.
Aerator forks - thin plates on the handle.
Thanks to this device, you can gently cut the top layer of the rolled lawn and comb it. Preliminary, the substrate must be well watered. Forks can be bought or built independently.
How to aerate sandals
This device can be made by yourself.
You will need:
- Board, plywood 30-50 mm thick or a piece of thick rubber. You can use metal, but it will be heavier.
- Self-tapping screws or nails from 10 cm.
- Fastening belts, for example, various straps.
- Jigsaw.
- Screwdriver or screwdriver, hammer.
Step-by-step process:
- Cut 2 pieces from plywood or board. The size is several times larger than your leg, because the device will be worn over regular shoes. The foot should be placed on a piece of wood and draped in chalk, leaving a few centimeters of allowances.
- Cut a sketch along the contour. Get wooden nozzles for shoes.
- For each drive nails or screw in screws in an amount of 10-12 pieces. If a metal base is used, spikes must be welded with a welding machine.
- For fastening the insoles to the shoes, make holes on the sides through which to pass the belts.
After that, it remains only to put on home-made sandals and begin to walk on the lawn.
This device is only suitable for areas with a small number of square meters, as even the most trained legs can not withstand such a high physical exertion.
For a large area, it is advisable to use electric or gasoline aeration equipment (for example, an ice rink). It is quite expensive, but you can rent it or use a special roller with spikes, which is cheaper.
Summing up, we can conclude that the lawn has a fresh and well-groomed appearance, you need to ventilate the soil at least once a season. Otherwise, the grass will turn yellow, grow poorly, weeds will appear. For aeration, you can use devices that are self-made or purchased in a specialized store.
