Core Aeration - What Golf Courses and You Can Use for Greener Pastures
Posted on Thu, Sep 01, 2011
Ever wanted to live on the lush greens of a Golf Course? Core aeration is the process used by golf courses to produce those beautiful green pastures. You may also hear it called lawn aeration to denote that landscapers most often use this process on lawns. If you consider how core aeration works, it suddenly makes sense why you might want to try it at home.
Think of your lawn as a few different layers. The grass you see, a layer of debris and a layer of soil. Over time the soil under your lawn can become compacted. Since the thick, compacted soil becomes impenetrable, grass roots can’t reach all the way down. Core aeration breaks up soil allowing your lawn all kinds of healthy benefits. The process uses a special machine. Lawn care providers literally puncture your lawn, much like coring an apple; the machine produces divots on your lawn’s surface. The process may be repeated a few times until the holes are 2”- 4” apart. After a few weeks, soil will settle into a looser mixture.
With lighter, airier soil, after several weeks, core aeration allows grass to grow back stronger. Any nutrients, like fertilizer, can reach the roots more easily. Even water can get right to the source without as much debris to fight through. Grass roots are able to penetrate deeper into the soil. The thicker the grass, the more wear and tear it can withstand. Therefore, Golf Courses aerate about 4 to 5 times a year.
If you want to live in greener pastures, you should have lawn aeration completed at least once a year. In certain climates where soil compacts more quickly, you may find it wise to aerate more often. Ask your lawn care company what might work best for you. The bottom line is, if you want to live like you were on a golf course, you’ll need to have core aeration services at least once a year to develop and maintain those greener pastures.