Turf aerification, or aeration, is the process of removing small plugs of soil and thatch from a lawn in order to improve its quality by enhancing the exchange of air between the soil and the atmosphere. It is generally performed by landscaping professionals using heavy turf aerification equipment that is towed and lighter turf aerification equipment that is walked behind. Whether you call it aerification, aeration, soil cultivation, lawn spiking or by some other name, there are many benefits to the process.
Advantages
To start with, aeration increases the amount of water and fertilizer that is actually taken in by the soil, and this improves the quality of the grass. When more water is absorbed by the ground, less of it runs off, and this means that there will be less erosion of the landscape. Grass lawns that have been aerated are also more resistant to the stresses of drought. Essentially, aeration helps the roots get the nutrition that they need.
The right equipment will make aeration holes deep in the soil and close to one another. Some equipment bores holes as deep as four inches! On grass lawns that are frequently walked on, the soil is smashed down over the roots of the grass, and this makes aeration even more important. This is why the process is almost always done as part of maintaining golf course fairways and greens. In short, soil aeration is a process that pays off.
