Aerating your lawn is a great way to reduce thatch, loosen up compacted soils and make it easier for water and nutrients to reach the roots of your turf...
“Aerating your lawn is a great way to reduce thatch, loosen up compacted soils and make it easier for water and nutrients to reach the roots of your turf,” says Tim Gibbs, owner of Gibbs Lawn Design & Services.
Even with the best care available, lawns can thin out and lose color due to excessive thatch buildup, hard or compacted soils, or periods of high temperature, high humidity or drought.
"September and October are the best time to plant fescue," according to Gibbs. Earlier seeding tends to undergo excessive heat stress and seedling diseases, and later planting may not be fully established prior to winter. "Seeding in December and early spring is generally not recommended, because the plant does not have time to develop the deep root system needed to survive the hot summer. Getting the seed in contact with the soil is necessary to assure successful reseeding," says Gibbs.
Gibbs explains that core aeration treatment removes small cores of soil and thatch to allow air, moisture and fertilizer to penetrate down to the root zone. The cores are brought to the surface which will break down within a couple of weeks. "This allows the roots of existing grass plants to spread out and grow deeper, creating a healthier, thicker lawn," explains Gibbs.
Overseeding in cool-season areas will fill-in bare or thin spots and help build a thicker lawn faster. The new seed quickly takes root in the freshly aerated lawn and provides new life to your already established grass.
Visit the Gibbs website at: www.gibbslawnservices.com to schedule your aeration and seeding this fall.
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Gibbs Lawn Design & Services, Inc.
770.844.8203