aerating a lawn

seneca · 28 Oct 2006

I've got a real boggy lawn that's just soaking with rainwater, and when I stand on it my wellies sink about an inch into it. What is the best way to get some holes into it? A garden fork, one of those hollow tine contraptions or a roller with spikes? Anyone have any suggestions on what works? Do those rollers with spikes work? does anyone have one, and if so what are they like?
I'm totally ruling out those sandles with spikes (I can imagine getting stuck as they sink in!) Should something like sand be brushed into the holes when I eventually get them.

Should have said, I've a medium sized lawn. Don't mind a bit exercise, but equally, I don't want to be still poking holes come next spring.

thanks.

breezer · 28 Oct 2006

thing with hollw spikes is best, as fork comapts the area.

fill holes with sand

Nerine · 1 Nov 2006

Is it always like that? Perhaps you should turn it into a bog garden! If its covered in moss and always soggy you could be aerating forever. Ask the neighbours if they have the same problem, you might have an underground spring. Sounds as though you might need some drains put in. You could try putting another message on here about lawn drains, you might get some useful info from a landscaper.

seneca · 1 Nov 2006

It's a bit of a large lawn and runs through the middle of the garden. Somehow, the idea of turning it into a bog garden doesn't appeal! Most books seem to suggest getting holes put into it, and then filling them with sharp sand. My only problem is how to create the holes. Hollow tines are the best thing, but require a lot of work. The moss and clover can be removed with a moss killer tonic (evergreen autumn care), but it needs to be raked out. That's another problem. I'm looking into buying an electric raker, as the idea of using a regular lawn rake and elbow grease fills me with dread.

shenks · 2 Nov 2006

seneca said:
I'm looking into buying an electric raker, as the idea of using a regular lawn rake and elbow grease fills me with dread.

Definitely recommend you go ahead and buy one. Best thing I ever did in the garden was buy an electric lawn rake... well, maybe more accurately it was the best thing I ever did FOR the garden. The best thing I ever did IN the garden..? Hmmm, wrong sort of forum

seneca · 2 Nov 2006

which one did you go for shenks? What exactly does it do (rake surface or deeper down) ? and has it improved your lawn. I have a heavy thatch problem with my lawn, as well as huge areas of moss and clover, and was told that the average electric lawn rake doesn't get deep down to rip it out. Apparently al-ko do one which has received great reviews, though it's a bit pricey (£130)

any views anyone?

shenks · 3 Nov 2006

I looked at quite a few but then went with a Bosch 32cm - can't tell you the exact model off the top of my head.

Adjusting the rake height meant I was able to remove just about all the moss and thatch and 'tickle' the soil surface that was exposed. It may be possible to give the ground a good scratch by adjusting lower but I've never needed to try.

My back garden doen't have that big a grassed area since the pond and decking went in... approximately 100 sq.m but I did manage to fill the two (council supplied) recyclable/compost wheelie bins the first time I used the raker. I also discovered that when you jump up and down on the moss to compact it in the bin you have to make sure the wheelie bin is wobble free otherwise you discover a quick way of inspecting your lawn up close.

It has taken 2 years of raking, feeding and spiking, but I now have a very green and healthy lawn with only a few weeds and very little moss.

seneca · 3 Nov 2006

Thanks shenks. Thats all I needed to know. You've convinced me on the benefits of going electric. Just out of interest, what did you use for 'spiking' the lawn? how labour intensive was it? (not that i want to come across as lazy; I have seasonal affective disorder. Whenever it's the gardening season I get tired and depressed.)

Nerine · 3 Nov 2006

Interesting stuff about the electric scarifier. I have only done small lawns and used an ordinary fork to make holes - its hard work! A well known consumer magazine considers most aerators useless. The only ones they recommend by Wolf-Garten or Sheen, both are hollow tine aerators.
I did see some marvellous gadget on Gardeners world, as used in a RHS garden. It looked like a mower but had blades which sliced deep holes in the soil. I wonder if its possible to hire one?

Be interested to know how you get on.

shenks · 10 Nov 2006

seneca said:
Just out of interest, what did you use for 'spiking' the lawn? how labour intensive was it?

Sorry for not replying earlier... The old fashioned method of a garden fork, bury the forks in the ground deeply, give it a good wiggle, and remove... now repeat for 3 hours until the lawn is all done at a spacing of 150mm or until your arms fall off!

I've not yet found a good way of mechanically spiking a domestic lawn. I also have a friend who is a groundsman and he agrees there is no substitute for the old methods (having said that he may just be set in his ways!)

Maybe there are tools you can buy that make spiking easy but don't you too want to have arms and shoulders like the Incredible Hulk? (Female forum members don't have to feel obliged to answer

)

seneca · 10 Nov 2006

Apparently, using a fork merely compacts the ground. The soil eventually falls back into place. What you are supposed to use is a hollow tine aerator that pulls cores of soil out, thereby allowing air to circulate and reducing compaction of the soil. That's the theory. All adds up to a lot of hard work. There are a few machines that have blades that slash the surface of the lawn and produce something that looks like a ploughed furrow. Not sure how deep they go, but they are said to be effective,

Nerine · 12 Nov 2006

Once you have made the holes, don't forget the sand its crucial.
Good luck.

Dewy · 14 Nov 2006

My garden was blue clay where the soil bulldozed when making the road had been piled up then levelled after the houses were built. The topsoil was buried 3' under the new top level. This was either soggy in the winter or cracked in the summer. The top was roughly levelled and raked before covering with turf. It took a few years to improve the soil. I
used a small border fork because the tines are shorter, thinner and sharper than a normal garden fork. I spiked the lawn about 6" deep and sprinkled sharp sand down and brushed this in. For a couple of years after I did the same but sprinkled the lawn with a mixture of sharp sand and peat. I found that putting this sand & peat dressing down before spiking the soil worked well. It was then brushed in so the holes were filled and the remainder formed a thin layer on top that could not be seen with the grass growing through it. The worm do the rest. My lawn no longer gets waterlogged in winter or cracked in summer.

seneca · 17 Nov 2006

I spiked the lawn about 6" deep and sprinkled sharp sand down and brushed this in. For a couple of years after I did the same

A man of steel. I presume you did it in Autumn when the ground was moist. I've been having a long think about what to do, and the weather has been getting worse.... don't fancy going out in the wet any more. My lawn is a bit too large for doing every year, so I'll break my back for one year, and if it doesn't work I'll hire a machine to do it.

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aerating a lawn

breezer

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