There are a few essential elements that are important if living things want to live and grow. These are sunlight, water, air and food; with even one missing the chances of survival for a living organism is very less, so all four must be present.
Explaining the Term Aeration
Air one of the most crucial of all elements needed for the growth of Tall Fescue sod in Atlanta. Before you install the sod; there are a few steps that have to be taken to prepare the soil. A critical thing to do is to make pockets in the ground so that air can reach deep into the soil to provide nutrition and allow water to penetrate as well.
Is Aeration good for Tall Fescue sod in Atlanta?
If the lawn you are going to have heavy foot traffic on the grass then the soil must be strong for the roots to grip in. Sometimes the topsoil is damaged by the construction work. Not much care of the soil is done and it is necessary to install sod on it.
Which is the Best Time to aerate the grass?
The time for aeration is different for both cool season and warm season sod grass. One aspect common in both is that the best aeration time is during the installation season. When you are dealing with cool weather grass then early spring and fall is the best time. But for warm-season sod the time is late spring till early summer.
Three Types of Tools
If you want to aerate the soil yourself then you must know about these three aerator tools. These tools can either be used with bare hands on a small surface or you can use a small tractor behind which can prepare the soil for aeration.
Plug Aerator
It is a device that pulls the soil from deep down and places it on the top. The plug aerator creates holes of a specific diameter and at a certain distance. But the distance and the depth of the holes also depend on the machine used.
Slicing Aerator
As the name suggests this machine slices the ground with the upper soil so that it makes room for air to reach the deeper part. It doesn’t take the soil out but instead, it stays on the ground but holes are created inside the soil.
Spike Aerator
Two kinds of spike aerator are used to make holes in the ground. For a very small area,the homeowner can sue sandals that have spikes at the bottom. But a hand-driven spike roller can also be used; which can be attached to the back of the small tractor to ease the job.
Step by Step Method of Aeration
Before the installation of sod, the soil needs to be prepared in different ways like watering and especially making the soil acceptable to the sod grass. You can do it by yourself or ask the help from professionals like Atlanta Sod Farms who will prepare the soil for you.
Water the Soil
You can’t aerate the soil if it is dry and hard. You can wait for the rain to come or water the soil yourself. If the soil is as dry as the bone then it will become difficult for you to take out the proper amount of soil.
Use the tools three to four times
It may happen that the soil is a little tough and even watering has a small effect on it. The tools that you will use as mentioned above must be rolled over the three to four times at least. Although it will take time but will aerate the soil perfectly.
Dry the Soil Plugs
Once the soil plugs are taken out; they must be dried so that after they are broken it gives an even look. A lawnmower or a hand rake can easily break the pulled out plugs into small pieces so that it distributes evenly on the ground.
Advantages of Lawn Aeration
If you want your lawn to look beautiful and healthy then aeration at the initial stage of the sod installation is crucial. Homeowners don’t consider this as an important process for the sod grass but afterwards when their lawn begins to show signs of problems then they realize the importance.
Boost the Health of Grass
The soil plugs that come out of the earth stays on the ground. When mowing is done or rake is used to flatten the area; the plugs crumble and mix into the soil. The nutrition goes backs into the soil and improves the health of the grass.
Cut down the Development of Thatch
When thick dead grass layer starts to show then this can be reduced through aeration. When air reaches the soil the micro-organisms that are decomposing becomes a source of nutrition for the grass.
Reduces Paddle creation of water
When the structure of the soil becomes tight then water can’t reach deeper. This creates either puddle of water or the water doesn’t stay on the ground. Aeration softens the soil and allows water to go into the ground easily.
Strengthen the Grass for dormant seasons
It becomes very difficult for the Tall Fescue sod in Atlanta to coping in the summer because it is a cool-weather grass. During the fall make sure that you aerate the soil which takes the nutrients deep into the soil. In this way, the grass can easily go through the dormant season.