Late-Spring, early-Summer: Cendipede, St. Augustine, Zoysia and Bermuda lawns in Charleston, SC are getting ready to look good. We perform our core aeration service for these turf-types mid-April through May to promote thicker growth that will keep your lawn looking better than ever!
Warm Weather Turf Types: Why core aeration is important
Core Aeration: When the temperatures rise to above 60 degrees farenheit at night, it is time for aeration. When done correctly aeration addresses soil compaction (so common with the clay soil we have here in the Charleston area) and thatch build-up, two major factors in the health and growth of your lawn. Unlike spike aeration which is actually harmful to your grass, our core aeration service removes small plugs of soil and thatch from the ground. This allows room for vitally important air, water and nutrients to reach your lawn's roots and promote health vigorous new growth in the spring. Your grass will grown thicker and its roots will grow deeper. Additionally, the microorganisims in the small plugs that we leave on the lawn's surface naturally break down excess thatch and actually contribute nutrients back to the grass! This also helps to prevent an excessive buildup of thatch on your lawn. Please note that while most lawns DO require core aeration, , there are also properties that do not need it. A quality lawn care company will always inspect your property before recommending core aeration.
Soil Amendment: Ideally core aeration should be immediately followed by a compost top-dressing, organic fertilizer, and dolomitic lime (if needed).
Lime: Clay soil has a greater level of acidity than is beneficial for most lawns and lime at this time of year adds alkalinity keeping the PH balanced.
Dethatching: thatch is the buildup of roots, dead grass and other organic material on the surface of the soil. As long as this buildup remains between 1/4" and 1/2" it is actually beneficial, acting as a cusion and sheltering your lawn from temperature extremes. In some cases (usually where core aeration hasn't been performed in several years or where desease or a hard summer have taken their toll on your lawn) thatch buildup is great enough to prevent your lawn from growing properly. In cases like this, we recommend our thorough detaching service that will remove the excessive buildup. Outside of these cases, a proper core aeration is all that is needed to keep thatch at the beneficial level.