Why Thin Lawns Need Aeration and Overseeding

 
At some point in time, many homeowners are going to experience thinning or dead grass on their property. Whether you are a first-time home buyer inheriting a poorly maintained lawn or a long-time owner, who has let yard maintenance fall by the wayside, there is a solution. One of the most beneficial ways to revive and rejuvenate your lawn is through aeration and overseeding .  

The process of aeration allows water, air, nutrients, and fertilizers to flow throughout the turf’s root system, leading to the development of dense new growth. At the same time, overseeding promotes new growth intermingled with preexisting grass.

What is Aeration and Overseeding?

Simply put, aeration is the process of introducing air into a material. In terms of lawn aeration, it is the process of introducing pockets of air onto the surface of your lawn, using a machine called a core aerator.

This machine digs up 1-2 inch cores of soil, called plugs. Each plug consists of dirt and thatch, or the spongy and often impenetrable layer of decaying organic matter and materials found between the grass and dirt. Then, the thatch plugs are left on the surface of the lawn to be broken down by microbes, adding nutrients to the yard.

Once the surface of the lawn is adequately aerated, the next step is overseeding. Overseeding is just as it sounds: the process of laying seed over preexisting grass. This process is hugely beneficial in lawns that have been damaged by pests or disease, discoloration, sparseness, and other issues that can cause thinning.

By laying down newer, more resilient turfgrass species interspersed with the grass that is already there, your lawn can grow healthier and more robust. Aeration and overseeding work hand in hand to facilitate new grass growth by providing access to necessary nutrients. 

As a homeowner, it can be challenging to complete these processes alone.  They require specific machinery and conditions to be successful.  To ensure that these vital lawncare processes get completed correctly, contact a knowledgeable and reliable lawn care specialist for assistance before embarking on these procedures.   

The post Why Thin Lawns Need Aeration and Overseeding appeared first on KG Landscape Management.