Everyone wants a lovely lawn, but sometimes homeowners have a challenging time achieving the lush, green landscape they're striving for despite their best efforts. This can happen for various reasons, but in most cases, the yard may require lawn aeration—removing small plugs of turf, thatch, and soil from the yard using a hollow-tined corer tool. A professional lawn care team can provide this service that will benefit your outdoor areas in several ways. Here are a few reasons why aeration is essential. 

Reduce Soil Compaction and Thatch

As a result of foot traffic or parking heavy vehicles on your lawn, the soil may become compacted over time. 

Thatch, a combination of living and dead organic matter, may accumulate where the turf meets the soil. Some thatch is beneficial, as it gradually disintegrates and combines with the earth to provide supplementary nutrition for grass roots. However, combined with compaction, an excess of this material can block turf roots from receiving the nourishment they need for survival.

Lawn aeration removes plugs of turf, thatch, and soil about one to six inches deep and two to six inches apart. This perforates your yard to break up thatch, reduce compaction, and promote healthy grass.

Improve Turf Hydration and Drainage

When soil becomes compacted, and the thatch layer grows dense, moisture from rainfall and irrigation may not be absorbed into the earth. This can prevent grass roots from receiving the water they need to remain hydrated. As a result, your lawn may become discolored, dry out, or develop dead patches. 

Lawn aeration creates small holes in your yard, allowing moisture to sink into the earth, absorb into roots, and keep grass hydrated and healthy. This can also prevent water from pooling in your yard, creating unsightly puddles, and flooding or eroding your landscaping. 

Enhance Nutrient Absorption 

Thatch accumulation and compacted soil can block organic matter and essential nutrients from reaching and nourishing grass roots. Without the proper nutrition, the turf may begin to wilt, thin out, and lose its verdant color. Since aeration alleviates compaction and breaks up thatch, this lets fertilizer and compost access and soak into roots. 

You can give your yard a nutritional boost by fertilizing shortly after lawn aeration. A professional maintenance company can do this by applying a lawn fertilization product containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium with a broadcast spreader. Once they apply an even layer of the product, they will water the grass to help nutrients move into the root zone.

Reap the benefits of lawn aeration with help from Lawn Doctor of Edmond-OKC in Oklahoma. They provide lawn care services for clients throughout the area, including aeration, fertilization, and weed control. Call (405) 509-2266 to book an appointment for lawn maintenance, and visit the website to learn more about how they can promote the health of your outdoor areas.