Why You Should Aerate, Seed, and Fertilize Your Lawn

The brutal St. Louis summer heat and large outdoor gatherings can be huge stressors to your lawn during the summer months. The best thing you can do for your lawn at the end of the summer season is aeration, seeding, and fertilization. Aeration, seeding and fertilization in the fall will bring you a lush and healthy lawn in the following spring!

Core aeration is a mechanical process that extracts cores of soil, thatch and grass from the surface of the lawn to increase nutrient availability, water penetration, soil air exchange and reduce compaction. Aeration allows air circulation in your lawn by letting out stale carbon dioxide and bringing in fresh oxygen to your soil and grass root systems.

Here are some reasons why lawn aeration is beneficial:

• Relieves soil compaction – compacted soil prevents air, water, and nutrients from reaching your lawn’s root system. Removing the cores during the aeration process relieves soil compaction.
• Increases nutrient availability
• Reduces thatch – thatch is a thick layer of dead grass that prevents your lawn from getting proper nutrients. Core aeration allows thatch-decomposing microorganisms to be brought to the thatch layer.
• Lush lawn – aeration stimulates root development and growth
• Prepares lawn for winter dormancy