Core Aeration in Texas

mwhite125 – posted 06 September 2005 11:00

Any pros out there that can answer this?; Please no organic alternatives….When is the best time to core aerate bermuda lawns in Texas? Would it be beneficial to do it now?, we have been in a drought for awhile now. Thanks

mwhite125 – posted 09 September 2005 14:31

BUMP! Ted where you at when we need ya!?

cohiba – posted 10 September 2005 13:55

I believe that core aeration should be done at any time when you have these three things:

70’s – 80’s,No hotter;

Turf actively growing or good growing weather for recovery;

The threat of crabgrass germination is past;

It is also good to have water for recovery. Irrigation or Mother Nature.

Make sure you start with adequet soil moisture.

My 2 cents………………………

Turfmiester – posted 10 September 2005 21:54

Great answer Cohbia, but I would also use hollow tines and if possible topdress also.

turfrus – posted 11 September 2005 07:07

Agreed, you want to pull plugs using a hollow tine aerator. Some rake up the plugs and use them elsewhere rather than leaving them on the soil. If you have a clay like soil, the plugs will take some time to break down.

QWERTY – posted 11 September 2005 20:55

Or simply mow over plugs!

grassnut – posted 11 September 2005 22:49

Cohiba,

“Turf actively growing or good growing weather for recovery;

The threat of crabgrass germination is past;

I’m planning on aerating next spring, but crabgrass will be germninating then. When is a good time that the southern grasses are actively growing and crabgrass is not germinating? Seems they go hand in hand??

Thanks,Brad

cohiba – posted 12 September 2005 12:07

Brad, I am sorry I don’t have a good answer to that except to say: If you arent seeding, just aerating, could you put down PreM to prevent the crabgrass from germinating? After aeration. This would also help keep Poa annua out of the lawn this fall as well as many other winter annual weeds. Something to think about.

Also remember that the benefits of aeration far outway the downside. I always tell my customers “You have to break some eggs to make omelets”

Also:I agree with everyone else that core aeration is best with hollow tines(hence the Core). I use 1/2″ in the spring and 5/8″ in the fall. But remember, anything that relieves compaction can be considered aeration. We slit seed and find our turf just as good as if we had hollow tined.

Thanks……………

grassnut – posted 13 September 2005 12:37

Cohiba,

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll give that a try next spring when I aerate. Don’t think I have a choice for core size though, I’ll just use what ever Nation’s Rent has.

Thanks,Brad

wadevl – posted 07 October 2005 20:24

if your have am issue with weeds PreM may be beneficial, if light then save your $$$, and spot spray with MSMA if you can get it, when weed pop up taht will solve those weed problems quick

Yeow – posted 01 November 2005 20:51

I have assembled some links to university cooperative extension services about lawn aeration at http://www.lawn-aerator-attachment.com/lawnaerationinformation.html.

Yeow – posted 01 November 2005 20:57

Sorry, the previous post has an invalid link. The correct one is http://www.lawn-aerator-attachment.com/lawnaerationinformation.html