Aeration

Aeration is one of the single most important treatments you can perform on a lawn. All soils except for the very sandy will suffer from compaction. Compaction is the closing up of the air spaces between the particles of soil, reducing drainage and the exchange of gases between the root and the atmosphere. Compaction also makes it difficult for the roots of the grass to develop properly.

Hollow tine aeration removes a core about the size of a small finger from the soil allowing the earth to expand reducing compaction, increasing the flow of moisture and air to penetrate into the soil to the roots.

Spiking solid tine aeration is very much like hollow tine aeration except used on lawns that while compacted do not have a thick excessive layer of thatch. The spikes or blades penetrate into the soil breaking up the compaction and improving the flow of moisture from the soil surface, reducing the conditions that encourage moss and improving the flow of nutrients and gases to the roots. Spiking or hollow tine aeration will not solve chronic drainage problems. It will however improve the flow of moisture from the surface helping the surface to dry out quicker.