What is aerification?
“Aerification”—Punching the Greens Aerification is the mechanical removal of soil cores. Aerification relieves soil compaction, improving water and air movement into the soil, increasing rooting, and greatly improving turf grass health. Additionally, aerification will also reduce thatch. Aerification is most beneficial in compacted areas such as sport fields, heavily trafficked areas next to sidewalks, and areas with intense foot traffic like golf course greens. What this means to a golfer: The greens will be punctured full of tiny holes and also sanded to help the healing process. The greens will be bumpy, inconsistent, and overall in less than good condition. The healing process takes approximately 5-8 days before we like to have our guests play. Most golf courses in AZ aerify greens twice a year. Normally, the first time in late April or early May and the second time during the overseeding period when the course will be closed any way.
Aerification achieves three important objectives. It relieves soil compaction, it provides a method to improve the soil mixture around the highest part of a green’s roots and it reduces or prevents the accumulation of excess thatch. Like so many things, the quality of a good putting green is more than skin deep. In fact, the condition of a green has a lot to do with what goes on below the surface. In order for grass to grow at 3/16-inch, it must have deep, healthy roots. Good roots demand oxygen. In good soil, they get the oxygen from tiny pockets of air trapped between soil and sand particles. Over time, the traffic from golfers’ feet (as well as mowing equipment) tends to compact the soil under the putting green – particularly when the soil contains a lot of clay. When soil becomes compacted, the air pockets on which the roots depend are crushed, and the roots are essentially left gasping for air. Without oxygen, the grass plants become weaker and will eventually wither and die. Aeri
Aerification is an effective way to increase thatch decomposition and to reduce thatch build-up. Aerification allows water and oxygen to move into soils more quickly, creating a better environment for the thatch-decomposing organisms. As the soil cores brought to the surface in aerification gradually break down and work back into the thatch, its decomposition by micro-organisms increases. An active earthworm population in the lawn is a preventative biological control. Since micro-organisms, fungi, insects, and earthworms are responsible for thatch decomposition, encourage them by maintaining a soil pH between 6 and 7, moist thatch and soil, and aerification. Use soil insecticides for fungicides only when need to control specific, identified pest problems; pesticides can adversely affect the micro-organism, insect and earthworm populations. How do I aeriate my lawn? Using an aerifier, a machine which removes plugs of soil from the lawn leaving holes about 1/2 inch in diameter and up to
