Aeration. Regular aeration is the key to a healthy lawn. Aeration will relieve compaction and allow more air and water to infiltrate the soil. This will stimulate bacterial activity helping to breakdown organic matter and provide nutrients for the plants. Increased disease suppression and deeper rooting are other benefits of an ongoing aeration programme ensuring a healthy and good looking sward. Aeration can be carried out any time of the year depending on the conditions. Care needs to be taken during dry spells. Aerating processes can take the form of solid spiking, slicing and hollow tining . The choice of process will depend upon the time of year and of the underlying conditions. It may be advised that following hollow tining a top dressing and overseeding be applied and brushed into the surface.
Scarification. Regular scarifying helps reduce the build up of thatch. Excessive thatch can prevent air and water reaching the soil. Without air and water the bacteria in the soil is unable to breakdown excessive organic matter. This leads to even more thatch which encourages shallow rooting of the grass plants. As the grass plants become weaker the invasion of weed species and of moss are more likely and the lawn will be on the decline. The scarification process takes the form of a machine that makes vertical cuts into the lawn down to the soil level. Scarification can only take place during the growing season and is best carried out during periods of active growth. It is recommended that following scarification a top dressing and overseeding be applied and brushed in to the surface.
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