A lawn aerator is a garden tool designed to aerate (i.e. introduce air to) the soil in which lawn grasses grow. Aeration improves soil drainage and encourages worms, microfauna, and microflora which require oxygen.

 

Lawn problems

Lawn aeration involves two task: controlling lawn thatch and reducing soil compaction. Lawn thatch is a layer of dead organic material that deprives a lawn of much-needed oxygen. Soil compaction makes it difficult for the grass to root and disturbs natural rainwater irrigation. Aeration is therefore very important to the health of a lawn. This is especially true for highly trafficked lawns. If people walk or even run over a lawn, the pressure causes compaction of the soil.

 

Types of aerator

There are two types of lawn aerators: one that uses spikes to punch holes in the soil and another that pulls out plugs of soil. The latter is preferred, because whereas a spike-punching lawn aerator only reduces the effects of thatch build-up, a lawn aerator that pulls out soil also reduces compaction.

 

Before aerating very dense soil, it is advisable to water the lawn the night before.

 

For hobbyist lawn maintainers, spiked shoes can be purchased that aerate the lawn while doing other tasks. These are much more affordable then larger lawn-aerating machines. However, for those with larger lawns you may need to find tractors for sale as larger aerating machines are necessary.