Lawn maintenance should not be limited to simply mowing and watering it periodically. Although these are essential care, to keep the grass in good condition it is necessary to aerate and scarify the grass. Two processes that should not be confused, but both make your garden look much healthier.
Thanks to aerating and scarifying the grass, we allow the soil to better receive nutrients, resulting in a stronger, lusher and greener grass. In addition, you avoid wasting water when watering the grass, because if it is in good condition it will absorb and drain water better, hydrating it down to the roots and avoiding waterlogging.
Aerating the grass consists of making small holes on the surface of the soil, down to the roots. With this, water, air and nutrients are allowed to enter the soil, thus avoiding its compaction. With aeration, the grass grows stronger and will have a brighter green color, with greater resistance to pests.
If your lawn is not aerated frequently enough, the soil becomes compacted, preventing the grass from absorbing water and nutrients. Consequently, the growth of the grass worsens, which will become more vulnerable to diseases and lose defenses against moss. Additionally, grass that is not aerated turns yellowish or brown. The ideal is to aerate the lawn once or twice a year, between May and October.
Scarifying refers to removing the surface layer of dead vegetation on the surface of the grass, helping it grow stronger and healthier. This calls for dead and matted grasses, moss, previously cut grass and other matter that accumulates, worsening the condition and appearance of the green mantle.
All this layer prevents the grass from growing strong, as well as water from reaching the roots. Therefore, it is advisable to scarify the grass once or twice a year, preferably in spring and autumn, before the cold weather begins. If you do it after summer, scarification should be gentler, as it creates stress on the soil and it will need to recover to rest in winter.
Aerating should not be confused with scarifying and neither should the two processes be carried out together on the lawn. The appropriate thing is to resort to one technique or another depending on the needs of the grass and soil in our garden.
To both aerate and scarify the grass, you can use manual or mechanical tools, the choice of which will depend on the surface of the garden. Before carrying out both tasks, it is advisable to mow the grass and remove any objects that could cause the machines to get stuck (such as dog or children’s toys, or decorative garden accessories).
After having aerated and scarified the lawn, it is advisable to apply a fertilizer or fertilizer, which nourishes the soil and enhances the growth of the grass. Finally, you have to water the grass, to encourage nutrients to reach the roots.
