a Lesson in Soil
Additional Information about our services:
BENEFITS OF AERATION
- Improves air exchange between the soil and the atmosphere
- Improves the uptake and use of fertilizer
- Reduces compaction of soil
- Strengthens roots of turfgrass
- Reduces water runoff and puddling
- Improves heat and drought stress tolerance
- Enhances thatch breakdown
Core aeration is the process of mechanically removing plugs of thatch and soil to improve natural soil aeration. Core aeration opens the soil and allows air, water, and fertilizers to reach the root zone of the turfgrass more effectively.
Aeration accompanied by topdressing will help to allow the biologically active soil amendment to work its way to the turf’s root zone. We utilize a top dressing named Comand (Compost and Sand). Comand is a natural source of stabilized organic matter and microbes that will rebuild your soil's health. Comand organic matter will help aid the structural stability of your soil, maintain pore spacing, and improve oxygen transfer and water infiltration. Comand holds 6x its weight in water which will aid in drought resistance as well as reducing the frequency and intensity of irrigation.
We also offer our Comand topdressing, combined with peat moss for properties that are dealing with alkaline soils. Soil p.h. is just as important for your lawn as proper irrigation and maintenance. Turfgrasses in Florida prefer slightly acidic to neutral p.h. ranging from 5.5-7.0 depending on the turf type. When your soil’s p.h. is outside of this range, the nutrients become locked in the soil and are unavailable to the turf. Peat moss has an average p.h. level of 4.4 which will help to acidify your soil and unlock these nutrients, making them freely available to your turf. Peat moss will also help alleviate compaction as well as aid in moisture retention as it can hold 20x its weight in water. Peat moss contains more than 95% organic material. As peat moss breaks down, it breaks up the soil particles which increases airflow. Peat moss is beneficial to both clay and sandy soils. In clay soils, peat moss improves soil texture and drainage, and in sandy soils, it will help improve water retention, as well as helping to prevent leaching of fertilizers.
Thatch in your lawn is a layer between the grass and soil that consists of accumulated dead and living grass shoots, stems, crowns, and roots. This layer can create an impervious barrier that doesn’t allow water, fertilizers, and pesticides to reach the soil. A thick thatch layer greater than 1/2” can create a harborage area for insects and lawn diseases that will be more difficult to control as products may not reach them. Your grass may also start to grow in the thatch area which will lead to shallow, non-insulated roots which will not be protected from freeze or drought damage.
WHAT CAUSES THATCH?
The most common causes of excessive thatch are over-watering, over-fertilizing, and infrequent mowing. Thatch can become problematic from one of these reasons, or more commonly, a combination of 2 or more reasons. A healthy lawn should require no more than 1-2 watering cycles a week, delivering up. To 1.5” weekly, at .5” - .75” each watering. More frequent watering will promote shallow roots, as well as leaching the soil of nutrients. This can lead to yellowing grass blades, which is most commonly corrected by applying more fertilizers to green the lawn up. Depending on your turf type and location, it is recommended to apply anywhere from 1-6 pounds of nitrogen per year. In small quantities (spoon-feeding):
- Bahia Grass: 1-4 pounds
- Bermuda grass: 3-6 pounds
- Centipede Grass: 1-3 pounds
- St. Augustine Grass: 2-6 pounds
- Zoysia Grass: 2-4 pounds
Applying more than the recommended amounts will promote an unhealthy amount of growth that may be difficult to keep up with mowing. When mowing, you should never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf tissue. For example, St. Augustine grass mowed at 4.5” should be mowed by the time it reaches 6” at the most. If the leaf tissue is longer than 6” when mowed, the excessive clippings may not break down as quickly and can exacerbate your thatch issues. Mechanical removal of thatch, combined with aeration and topdressing is the most effective option to correct the problem before the only remedy is sod replacement.
