Aerate or De-Thatch?
Determining whether or not you need to aerate or de-thatch your lawn is a first step to growing a greener, healthier lawn. Aerating involves removing small plugs of soil from the lawn, which increases the amount of air, water, and nutrients that can reach the soil. De-thatching involves pulling out the old, dead grass clippings that have built up between the grass and the soil which, if left overtime, will repel water and nutrients. In addition, the grass will begin to grow in the thatch rather than the soil making it more susceptible to drought conditions. If the thatch in your lawn is thicker than 1/2″ it is time to de-thatch. Classic Hardscape & Design, LLC recommends de-thatching once every two years. The fall is the best time to de-thatch if you have cool-season grasses such as blue grass or fescue. To determine if it is time to aerate, dig up a sqaure foot of your lawn to a depth of at least 6″. Measure the depth of the lawn’s roots. If the roots only extend 1″-2″ into the soil,
