Core aeration

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Michigan
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United Kingdom
I'm looking at aerating my lawn, as I now have one that's in reasonable condition and I want to keep it that way.

I was going to start doing it by using a fork but then read that core aeration's far better, as using a fork actually compacts the soil. I then looked into this and saw sites saying that you should leave the cores on the surface as when they breakdown that helps the lawn. Then I also read that you should put sand on afterwards.

So, I've got a few questions that I hoped more knowledgeable people could answer.


1) For a normal, garden lawn that's just intended to be a lawn that looks ok is there really and need to use a core aerator rather than just using a fork?

2) If I did buy a core aerator, should I leave the plugs it extracts on the surface like I've heard you should? I'd have thought that on a garden lawn I'd end up with a muddy mess if I did that!

3) Is it necessary to apply sand afterwards? I don't doubt it's better to do it, but is it essential?


Thanks is advance!
 
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The idea of aeration is to reduce compaction and improve drainage, this is most effective as you have read with a hollow tine aerator. The sand is then brushed into the holes to improve drainage. I throw down the sand and bruch and rake it about and any plugs that break up can simple stay as top dressing but generally i lift them. Especially on clay.
 
"coreing" lift the cores out with the hollow tiner then lift every core that comes out dont leave them lying

then top dress the lawn with lv20 sand, dont use any old sand out of b&q even lawn sand will do

when you core it lifts roughly one third of your lawn

dont leave the cores lying as it encourages turf disease and breaks down into thatch which defeats the purpose of coreing
 
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I'm looking at aerating my lawn, as I now have one that's in reasonable condition and I want to keep it that way.

I was going to start doing it by using a fork but then read that core aeration's far better, as using a fork actually compacts the soil. I then looked into this and saw sites saying that you should leave the cores on the surface as when they breakdown that helps the lawn. Then I also read that you should put sand on afterwards.

So, I've got a few questions that I hoped more knowledgeable people could answer.


1) For a normal, garden lawn that's just intended to be a lawn that looks ok is there really and need to use a core aerator rather than just using a fork?

2) If I did buy a core aerator, should I leave the plugs it extracts on the surface like I've heard you should? I'd have thought that on a garden lawn I'd end up with a muddy mess if I did that!

3) Is it necessary to apply sand afterwards? I don't doubt it's better to do it, but is it essential?


Thanks is advance!

1) Aerating once a year will do wonders for your garden although you can live without it.
2) I will recommend that you rent an aerator rather then buying one, there is a tool rental at best buy that rents aerators as well I think.
3) Its not necessary to apply sand afterwords.

hope this helps :)
 

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