To achieve healthy plants the natural way, without synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides, you need to have healthy, living soil. The organisms in the soil need to drink, breathe, eat, digest and excrete their food and, to do so efficiently, must have plenty of air pockets in the soil.
Often, with excess foot traffic, mowing or snow compaction over the winter, our lawn and soils become compacted and need help. That’s where the practice of mechanical aeration comes in. By cutting “cores” out of the soil with a specialized machine or hand tool, you’ll leave behind holes through which air, water and fertilizer can enter. The surface of your lawn may look more like Swiss cheese for a few days, but the long-term benefits can be great.
If your soil is compacted — excess weeds can be a tell-tale sign — aeration may be necessary. It also helps loosen up your compacted soil to aid in the growth of new seed.
