aerate

kman1080 – posted 10 July 2004 17:32

I was wondering if someone could help me with the correct procedure in aerating?

cohiba – posted 10 July 2004 20:05

It really depends on the equipment, what tines you are using and what you are trying to accomplish.

Seeding? Thatch removal? Compaction? Solid tine or hollow? All may require different procedures to get the desired results.

What are you after?

houstongrass – posted 17 July 2004 13:51

On that topic – my St. Augustine yard looks thin and is starting to brown. I water 3 times a week, but someone suggested aerating it. Can I do that now in mid-July without doing more damage?Thanks.

ted – posted 17 July 2004 19:25

aeration is fine on a houston lawn now.

ks – posted 17 July 2004 19:38

What about a Dallas Bermuda lawn? Can I aerate now or should I wait until Fall or even until next spring…I have gotten mixed feedback.

What about spreading a layer of sand to help level the lawn…I would prefer to do that immediately after aerating…what is the reccomended timing?

Thanks

kman1080 – posted 19 July 2004 06:40

quote:Originally posted by kman1080:I was wondering if someone could help me with the correct procedure in aerating?

I wanted to use aerate primarily for thatch and compaction.Is there any differance in the procedure for these two.?

cohiba – posted 20 July 2004 13:59

kman1080,For doing both thatch removal and compaction I would mow a little lower but do not scalp. Rake debris. Aerate with a solid tine machine in at least two directions. Let the plugs dry(very important). Dethatch in at least two directions over the dry plugs. This will break up the plugs better than dragging with a fence. After dragging in one or two passes with the fence, the lawn can be raked or blown off, and the debris thrown away not composted. The lawn can then be fertilized and seeded and watered to spur on new growth and recovery. The fertilizer can even be applied a week or two before the aeration to ensure the turf is growing and recovery is faster. I use this method and it works for me. It may be alot of work but the results are little to no thatch. Timing is critical. You do not want to do this prior to alot of stress and only when the turf is actively growing. And ample recovery time is allowed prior to dormancy.

Good Luck…………

ted – posted 20 July 2004 20:33

cohiba, you’re talking about an awful lot of work for a texan…..

cohiba – posted 23 July 2004 07:29

Ted, Are you saying that Texans aren’t hard workers? I thought they were some of the some of the heartiest folks in the country. I mean if the guy was from Leisuretown, USA, I would have told him that any aeration is better than nothing. Heck, up here in the north we use freeze and thaw cycles to do most of the aeration. Cannot get lazier than that.

Take Care…….

ted – posted 23 July 2004 08:02

ever dethatched and raked up 40-50 bags of dead grass in 100 degree heat??? remember, i’m a texan too!!!