Providing oxygen and better air flow to lawn, soil, compost, etc.. Use this with questions about what techniques to use or how to use them.
Questions tagged [aeration]
20 questions
7
votes
2 answers
Dark and light core plugs after aeration
I got my lawn core aerated the other day. Some parts of the lawn have core plugs that are a nice rich dark color (at least I think this is nice/good). Other sections of my lawn have core plugs that are much lighter. Is that indicative of not having…

J Dillinger
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7
votes
3 answers
Aerate, de-thatch & overseed. Is this really the correct order?
I operate an equipment rental delivery service in the Portland, Oregon area. It's that time of year again when DIY homeowners are renting these items together.
Aerator (core aerator)
De-thatcher (Power Rake)
Overseeder (AKA Slit Seeder)
We rent them…

yardguy
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7
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4 answers
What immediate steps should I take after my lawn is aerated?
My lawn which is a combination of clover, moss, crabgrass, dandelions and occasionally some grass is going to be aerated in two weeks. I want to know the immediate steps to take after the cores are pulled.
I have read the two best things to do…

treeNinja
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6
votes
3 answers
Would holes in the sides of plastic pots impove drainage and aeration?
Since the pots are plastic, they are not breathable. I made enough holes at the bottom to let the excess water seep out.
Some time ago, I made some, 1/4 of an inch, holes.
But when I watered it with nothing in it, some of the water was retained…

4-K
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6
votes
2 answers
Aerating with a garden fork: is it making the problem worse?
I would like to aerate my lawn but do not poses a lawn aerator. Would spiking the lawn with a garden fork be sufficient in aerating the soil or is it simply going to further compact the soil around the holes it creates?

Luke Allison
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5
votes
3 answers
Before plating aerate or not?
It has been a couple months I have been working on my yard. Thank you all of your time and advice! My back yard was in bad condition. First I killed wild weeds cleaned and hired someone to trim my trees. I think I had more than 30 yard waste bags :)…

Sami
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2 answers
Core aeration vs. liquid aeration
I was planning to rent a core aerator this fall to aerate my 10,000 sq ft lawn in Massachusetts but I stumbled upon a liquid aerator/dethatcher. Does the liquid version actually work or is it sub par compared to the mechanical core aeration of…

J Dillinger
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5
votes
2 answers
Should I aerate, or aerate and seed, my lawn? Can I do it myself?
I live in North Carolina, USA and I never did aeration before. The size of the lawn is 0.37 acre. Recently I got a letter from a lawn-care company offering the following services about aeration:
Aeration only: $262.00, or $243.66 if paid before…

Love
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4
votes
1 answer
Can I use cat litter in potting mix? Has anyone tried it?
I've read in some bonsai forums that it's possible to use cat litter in alternative to the traditional bonsai soil, which is really expensive.
I want to try it in the potting mix I'm making for my interior plants. Does it really work? Has anyone…

cbdeveloper
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4
votes
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Lawn repair - Heavy moss, damp.
Location: UK
I have recently purchased a house (Last November) with a large lawn to the rear. I am very new to gardening but have realised I'm going to have to learn quick if I want to make the most of this space.
On initial inspection of the lawn…

Scriptable
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4
votes
2 answers
Optimizing use of aerator sandals
I lust over one of these:
This is the kind of aerator that is towed behind a lawn tractor, with some cinder blocks or other weights on the ledge to help the tines dig in. So far, I have not been able to justify the expense for something that will…

cobaltduck
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4
votes
2 answers
building an aerated static composting system?
I've been doing a little research into hot composting. From what i understand you need a carbon to Nitrogen ratio of 30:1 and you need to rotate the pile when the center gets to around 150 degrees. From what i understand, the rotation had mostly to…

user379468
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4
votes
2 answers
Proper sequence of Northeast lawn maintenance this spring
I live in eastern Massachusetts and have a big project coming up for my lawn. I am planning to get part of it excavated to fix an issue. Once fixed it will be back-filled with soil and I'll move onto my next project of getting an in-ground…

J Dillinger
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3
votes
1 answer
Core aerate, top dress, and overseed in the fall
I'm trying to figure out the correct way to overseed this fall in MA. I want to do a few things in the process: core aerate, top dress, fertilize, lime, and overseed.
I normally mow my lawn at 3.5" so am I supposed to cut it much lower? How low,…

J Dillinger
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3
votes
2 answers
Can it be too late to aerate the lawn?
So, it's mid october, the plug-pulling lawn Aerator that I ordered in early august got here today. In the past two weeks, as is pretty normal in my neck of the woods, the weather has looked like this, and is quickly getting colder.
I'm thinking…

Sidney
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