Why is Lawn Aeration Necessary?

In most home lawns, the natural soil has been seriously distributed by the building process. Fertile top soil may have been removed or buried during excavation of the basement or footings, leaving top soil that is more compacted, higher in clay content and less desirable for healthy lawn growth. These lawns need aeration to improve the depth and extent of turf grass rooting and to improve fertilizer and water use. The ROOT SYSTEM of your lawn is constantly attempting to renew itself by forming and sending out new shoots. This new growth is more extensive in loose open soil. In clay soils or heavy compacted soil, new roots will stay near the soil surface. if there is a thatch build up and the soil is hard, new roots mat remain in the thatch layer. This produces a lawn that dries out quickly and accumulates thatch at an accelerated rate compared to a lawn that is deeply rooted. Compaction is greater in heavy clay soils, and it is most prevalent in the upper 1 to 1 1/2 inches of soil. ...  more