As you run the mower across the grass, walk across your property, and let pets and kids romp, the soil naturally compacts from the weight. The free space between the soil particles is squeezed out when it compresses. Water, oxygen, and nutrients from fertilizer can’t move through the soil and get to the roots.
Core aeration removes plugs of soil from the yard, opening up this compaction to improve permeability. Heavier soils can be aerated yearly—it’s best to do this in spring or fall, too—and lighter soils can go 2-3 years.
Dealing with Weeds
Weeding is the bane of existence for many homeowners, especially if you live near city parks or fields where the weeds aren’t always controlled. But! I have good news for all you weed-haters. The cultural practices you perform regularly for a healthy lawn can also help with weed control.
Case in point: many weeds love compacted soils. How do you solve this? Keep your lawn aerated to break up soil compaction; you’ll see fewer weeds. (As a caveat, I’ll also add that aerating will bring weed seeds to the surface, so you might want to put down a pre-emergent herbicide following aeration.)
Other examples:
Thin spots in your turf let sunlight penetrate the grass canopy and encourage crabgrass and other weed seeds to germinate. Overseeding in the fall keeps your grass thick and stops light penetration.
Mowing high helps shade the soil surface, discouraging weed seeds from sprouting.
Frequent mowing knocks the tops off any weeds that come up, keeping them from setting flowers and going to seed. Fewer seeds mean the generational curse of weeds slows down.
If you are having problems with weeds, I highly recommend using a pre-emergent herbicide in the spring to prevent annual weeds and then spot-treat as needed. Three years ago, almost 75% of my lawn was dandelions. I started using a high-quality pre-emergent just as the grass comes out of dormancy in spring, and I might have a dozen dandelions growing in my backyard right now.
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