You need to buy or rent a plug or core aerator. In my opinion don’t waste your money or time. The spike aerator is sold as a less expensive alternative. The problem with them is they don’t effectively open up the soil layer to allow water and oxygen into the root zone. The spikes are forced into the ground to make small holes in the soil. Spike aerators have spikes on a rotating axle (see photo). Spike aerators are really a waste of time in my opinion. There’s a huge difference between using a spike aerator and using a plug or core aerator. I think the most important tip is using the right equipment. Now that I’ve had some time to work with the equipment I wanted to share some lawn aerating tips. I’ve also written several posts about the John Deere Plug Aerator I bought to aerate my lawn. In this case, getting a core aerator would make more sense because the soil is most likely too compacted.I’ve written several posts on aerating your lawn and the benefits it provides to healthy growing grass including one with core aeration tips. Unless you have severe water pooling on your lawn, that is. So, a safe way to test things out might be to use the old pitchfork sitting in your shed or garage before getting a plug aerator. For professional lawn management, a mechanical aerator usually offers both solutions. Learning about spike VS plug aerator tools can only make a difference when comparing the instrument with the turf needs. On the opposite side, you can stick a garden fork everywhere and work in most soil conditions as soon as you have spare time. Also, if you have mixed soil, it will not perform great in sandy areas. It will not work well, which means you will sweat buckets for little or no gains. If the soil moisture level gets too wet or dry, the manual plug aerator will not be your friend. But they are harder to use in some lawn places. Of course, plug aerators do not have such a downside. Spike aerating without wiggling the soil after fully inserting the tool deep into the lawn can compact the turf more. Instead, spike aerators like pitchforks poke holes in your turf and go as deep as you can push them. Plug or core aerators pull at least two cores at a time. Spike VS Plug Aerator: What Is The Real Difference? So, a spike aerator like a garden fork is more than enough to address any potential problem. Sandy loams usually do not have a soil compaction issue. Otherwise, you will have an uneven surface. But when you use a plug aerator, you will have to fill the holes with sand. Once you aerate your turf, the particles in your soil will not bind together without pressure. If you do everything appropriately-water, fertilize, and mow the lawn the way it needs you to-aeration will only be necessary as a curative practice. Presence of standing water and pooling on your lawnĬultural practices are the most critical factor of all.Grass blade colors-optimum drainage means healthy green blades while waterlogged soil leads to yellowish grass.Such a give-and-take situation means that you have to weigh different factors like: But if you have heavy clay and plenty of organic matter, you will have fewer problems with compaction. In detail, heavy clay has more issues with soil compaction than sandy soils. But how frequently you need to aerate that pathway once more will depend on native soil composition. If you aerate a high-traffic turf, heavy foot traffic or carts and tractors will compact the soil faster because you exert pressure on them all the time. So, spike aerators are better for low-traffic turf. They involve no cleanup yet still optimize gas exchange, water, and fertilizer programs. But spike aerators are less disruptive in terms of aesthetics. For example, if you want to address patch issues, a plug aerator works best because it removes organic matter. generate a healthy root system by introducing more oxygen into the soilĭepending on your needs, the best solution may vary as well.Sometimes, a mechanical aerator does more than what you see, helping plant roots to get down and break through. For clarity, it does not matter if the pressure increases at the surface or deeper depths because it will hurt root growth in either case. Restricted root growth is an issue that appears when soil pressure goes over 300 psi. Spike VS Plug Aerator: What Is The Real Difference? Relieving Soil Compaction: The Basics
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