Despite intensive care, the lawn in the garden can compact over time. You can loosen up your lawn with an aerator.
Most gardeners used to shrug their shoulders if a few blades of grass were still too long here and there after mowing the lawn. It looks very different today. The lawn has to be cut perfectly and shine in a lush green. In theory everything is very easy to do, but in practice it looks very different. It can also happen that the lawn becomes very compact over time.
But don't panic! That can happen to the best gardener. And of course there are devices that can be used to quickly eliminate this problem. We are talking about a so-called aeration device. This allows even extremely compacted lawns to be loosened up again. This is also referred to as lawn aeration.
Reasons for compacting a lawn area
Reasons for the compaction of lawn areas include increased traffic on the lawn or the use of it as a sports field, as a sidewalk and the like. Heavily used lawns generally compact more and more quickly, which means that waterlogging can form on the surface again and again. In addition, compaction leads to increased moss and weed formation (reading tips: weeds in the lawn - 2 tips and getting rid of moss in the lawn - 4 tips).
How do aerators work?
During aeration, the soil structure is "perforated" with so-called spikes. The compacted soil structure is aerated by the perforation and can be supplemented with fresh filling material such as humus, sand or lawn fertilizer if necessary. Various aerating spikes (spoons) are offered or used in the devices for this work process, which can be adapted to the different local conditions.
What types of coring equipment are there?
Different types of aerating devices are available in specialist shops which, depending on the version, can make the strenuous work much easier. Which device is best for your lawn depends on the size of the lawn.
You should have a very large oneIf you own a lawn, then a large piece of equipment is of course an absolute must. However, this is very expensive, which is why you should really think very carefully about a purchase. Many garden centers also rent out these devices at low daily rates or offer the aerating activity as part of their services. The following equipment is recommended for normal sized gardens:
➤ Electric Aerator:
Most aerating devices look a little like a lawnmower. And when it comes to handling, they are very similar to a lawnmower. Instead of a knife, these electric aerators (available here, for example) simply have spikes on the underside. Then drive the device evenly up and down the lawn.
➤ rolling lawn aerator:
As an alternative to an electric aeration device, you can also purchase a so-called "rolling lawn aerator". This device resembles a cylinder lawn mower. The only difference is that a rolling lawn aerator (e.g. available here) does not have a spindle but a roller with spikes. With this aerator, too, you simply drive up and down the lawn evenly.
➤ Lawn Aerator Shoes:
If you only have a small area of lawn in your garden, we recommend using simple and inexpensive aerators. We recommend, for example, lawn aerator shoes (e.g. available here). These are soles with spikes that you simply strap under your normal shoes. Then you just walk across the lawn and that's it.
When is the best time to aerate?
It is perfectly sufficient if you aerate compacted lawns once a year. The best time for aerating is spring between March and May, or autumn between September and October. Important: Never carry out the work during long periods of rain or a strong heat wave.