Michigan Lawn Aeration & Seeding Service

Just like people, lawns need to fresh air to stay healthy. But when the soil underneath your grass gets compacted, less air and nutrients can get through, causing problems with your grass. The solution is aerating your lawn. Core aeration is a process that involves removing plugs, or cores, of soil from the ground in order to allow air, water and nutrients to reach more places in the soil. The lawn care specialists at Turf Tenders know that core aeration is an important part of lawn maintenance and want to help keep your yard beautiful at all times.

Compacted soil and thatch are the main reasons that lawns need to be aerated. Compacted soil occurs as things walk or move over the lawn. Over time, a layer of dead plant material called thatch can build up on your lawn. This layer of dead grasses sits between the healthy, green grass on top and the roots below and prevents water and fertilizer from reaching the root system. Thatch also provides a great environment for bugs and pests to thrive, where they can wreak havoc on your lawn and garden.

Thatch and compacted soil are most common on grassy areas that see heavy foot-traffic such as homes with children and pets. New construction homes may also have problems with compacted soil due to recent construction traffic on the land. Lawns that having different layers of soil, such as those with imported sod, may also see these problems.

Almost every lawn can benefit from annual core aeration, but there are some lawns that need it more than others. Yards with clay-heavy soil underneath the grass will likely need core aeration more often than others because clay in the soil gets compacted more easily. If there has been any recent construction on your property such as adding a building, driveway, or pool, it is likely that the grass and soil were compacted by heavy machinery and your lawn could benefit from aeration.

One way to see for yourself if your lawn needs to be aerated is to use a shovel to dig up a small plug of grass. If there is more than a half inch of thatch built up or the roots are less than two inches deep, it will benefit from core aeration.

There are two types of lawn aeration machines: spike aerators and core aerators. Spike aerators simply punch holes in the ground using spikes, while core aerators use hollow tines that pull plugs, or cores, of compacted soil up from the ground. The professionals at Turf Tenders will use a core aerator to remove plugs of soil 2-3 inches long from the ground every three inches or so. These holes will allow water and nutrients to reach the roots further down. The machine is run over the entire area, using multiple passes if necessary to ensure that the entire yard benefits from this service. This process works best when the ground is moist, but not wet or muddy. The plugs of soil will break down in a few weeks and filter back down into your lawn. A light raking or pass with a lawnmower will help to break up these plugs and ensure a more even redistribution.

After core aeration, it is important to continue regularly scheduled maintenance such as mowing, watering, and fertilizing to keep your yard looking its best. It is also recommended that you overseed or fertilize your lawn after core aeration as the opening in the ground provides deeper access for the seeds and fertilizer.

The best time for core aeration is during seasons of high growth, when the grass can easily regrow to fill in the holes. Mid-spring and early fall are the most popular times for core aeration. Many homeowners choose to overseed their lawns after aeration to take advantage of the better seed-to-soil contact that core aeration offers. Combining the services gives the seeds the best environment to grow. Core aeration should be avoided in the dormant times like harsh winters and brutal summers, as the grass will not grow back in as fast and may lead to an uneven lawn.

Most lawns should be aerated at least once a year, but some yards may benefit from core aeration twice a year. Let the lawn care technicians at Turf Tenders analyze your lawn and provide a plan to keep your yard in tip top shape.

Turf Tenders is city-area’s leading experts when it comes to lawn aeration. Our lawn care specialists will take the time to examine your lawn and determine the best course of action to keep your lawn healthy and your family happy. Call today to schedule a consultation!

If your lawn contains any bare spots, seeding and overseeding is for you. This program works hand in hand with aeration, though it can be done separately. We highly recommend that you have your lawn aerated prior to overseeding, as it allows the seed to come into greater contact with the soil and prevents it from flowing away if it rains. You also get the added benefit of dethatching the lawn and creating holes so that water can be utilized better.

Overseeding is a great way to revitalize a lawn that looks old or “tired.” Overseeding can make your lawn more resistant to pests, drought, and heavy traffic. It can help reduce the amount of fertilizer and pesticides required. Overseeding helps fill in bare spots in the lawn, in addition to making the lawn healthier and hardier. A thick lawn is your first step in preventing weeds. Overseeding also compensates for the natural slowdown of turf growth, helping to strengthen the root system and keep your lawn green for years to come.

Overseeding is another way to ensure that your lawn is thick and healthy, preventing weeds and disease. We use a premium blend of grass seed that includes Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescues, and Rye. Having a different blend of grasses gives your lawn the best protection against drought, insects, and disease. Overseeding is done over existing grass, filling in bare spots, whereas seeding involves starting all over without any prior grass.

When we aerate the lawn it leaves holes in your lawn. We then heavily overseed the lawn with a premium grass seed. This gets the seed down in the soil, where it has the best chance to germinate. Grass seed needs to be in contact with soil in order to germinate and grow into grass. Aerating the lawn before overseeding allows the seeds to stay in place, instead of washing off, when it rains or when you water the lawn. It also allows the seed to come into contact with more soil. With proper watering, you will have new grass growing in no time.

If your lawn consists of at least 50% healthy turf, you are a candidate for overseeding. However, if your lawn lacks that much healthy turf, it may be better to start all over. This process involves killing/removing all vegetation from the lawn (including grass), removing all thatch depris, aerating thoroughly with a core-type aerator, fertilizing, and then re-seeding. You may want to go this route if your grass is overly infested with disease or is brown and dead. Overseeding a dead lawn is faster than digging up all the soil and starting completely from scratch.

The best time to overseed your lawn is late summer or early fall. Soil temperature is at its most favorable at this time for optimum growth. Seedlings will be well established before cool weather sets in, provided the lawn gets adequate moisture, fertilizer, and sunlight. Overseeding in the spring risks weather related problems and over competition with weeds. Overseeding in the midsummer puts your lawn at greater risk of disease and heat stress. Dormant overseeding, after soil temperatures are too low for germination, is done in the late fall or early winter. Success with dormant overseeding is dependent on good snow cover to prevent wind and water erosion and early germination.

At Turf Tenders, we use a premium blend of grass seed that mimics sod. It contains a mixture of Kentucky Blue Grass, Fescues, and Rye. Having a greater variety of grasses in your lawn makes it more resistant to drought, disease, and insects. Your lawn will stay greener and thicker all season long, and you will spend less money on maintenance because you won’t be dealing with as many diseases or weeds. Weeds need contact with soil in order for their seeds to germinate, so a thick, healthy lawn is your first line of defense against infestation of dandelions, crabgrass, and other annoying weeds.

We highly recommend that you have your lawn aerated prior to overseeding, as it allows the seed to come into greater contact with the soil and prevents it from flowing away if it rains. You also get the added benefit of dethatching the lawn and creating holes so that water can be utilized better. Thatch is dead plant material that chokes out the lawn, depriving it of nutrients, sunlight, and water. Dethatching and aeration allow your lawn to adequately obtain the resources it needs to stay thick, green, and healthy all season long.

In order to care for your lawn after it has been overseeded, proper watering and soil temperatures are critical. Water your lawn lightly every day until germination. After germination, water less frequently, but be sure to water deeply with adequate soil penetration. Once the grass is established, you can resume a normal watering schedule for the type of grass that was planted. Care and patience are key to establishing a healthy lawn after overseeding.