Lawn aerators are designed to remove soil cores or plugs from the lawn, leaving holes that are a couple inches deep. Aeration should be a part of regular lawn care, done every one to three years depending on the condition of the lawn. It helps maintain healthy, good-looking grass by combating soil compaction, which can weaken roots and impede the flow of those things that are essential for grass to stay in good condition.
Why Use a Lawn Core Aerator
Lawn aerating the lawn makes it easier for the grass roots to grow deep into the ground rather than horizontally in the first few inches of dirt and improves accessibility to nutrients and water. The holes left by core aerators expose the grass roots to the air and sunlight. When fertilizer or other lawn products are put on the turf, the roots can easily soak them up, so the grass can enjoy the full benefits. The roots have an easier time getting plenty of water, making the lawn more drought-resistant and heat-tolerant. Some aerators have solid spikes that punch into the lawn, but the holes they leave are shallower, narrower and close up more quickly. Coring aeration will have a longer-lasting effect and provide greater benefits to the lawn’s health.
Types of Aerators
Core aerators come in three main types. Manual ones usually consist of two or three hollow shafts at the bottom of a long handled tool that can be simultaneously pushed by a hand and stepped by a foot into the ground. When pulled back out, the dirt cores come out and then fall to the ground. Mechanical versions are somewhat larger and twice as heavy as most gas-powered lawn mowers. Typically powered by gas, these are pushed along the lawn similar to a lawn mower. Rolling aerators feature a rolling barrel or drum with several coring tines attached along the surface. As the drum is rolled over the ground, the cores remove plugs as they come in contact with the lawn and then roll off it. These are typically towed behind a tractor or riding lawn mower.
Core Aerator Prices
You can buy a manual aerator for about $30. Renting a gas-powered machine will cost a little more, around $40-$50 for four hours. Plan to pay $300 or more to buy one of them. The tow-behind kind come in very wide price range based on the size and type, typically starting at a couple hundred dollars and going up from there to get a quality one.
When to Aerate
Lawn aerating does cause turf stress, so it is best done in spring or late fall when the temperatures are more mild. It is not a good idea in the hot and dry summer months. After aerating, the lawn should be well-watered and kept that way for a few weeks. Since aeration exposes the grass roots, core aerating should be planned right before fertilizing and re-seeding to result in the most improvement in the lawn’s health.