Virtually any lawn can benefit from aerification twice a year - Spring and Fall Your lawn is made up of thousands of little grass plants, and how lush and thick your grass is depends on how healthy and well fed each plant is. Now every plant needs moisture, food and air to survive, and it absorbs these things through its roots. When the earth around these grass plants becomes compacted it's like trying to grow grass on a brick. Feeder roots can't penetrate it, water lies on the surface and evaporates or runs off and fertilizer can't get to the root zone. No wonder your grass plants get tired - they literally can't breathe - and many die off completely. Compaction may be caused by many things, foot traffic, children playing, heavy rainfall, workmen doing house maintenance. Some types of soil may become compacted for no apparent reason. Aerify to breathe new life into your lawn. There are numerous ways to aerify grass areas, but the most common method for lawns and golf courses is to use a core aerifier. This machine is driven by a gas engine and is equipped with rotating round, hollow tines that lift out cores of earth each time they penetrate the surface. This leaves holes 3/8" to ½" in diameter, up to 3" deep and a few inches apart all over your lawn. In some cases of severe compaction a second pass over the area may be made to double the number of holes. The benefits Of course we have now opened holes to allow both water and fertilizer to drop directly down to the deep root zone. We also are allowing plenty of air to get into the soil below the surface. These holes also allow room for the earth between to expand and shift allowing more air, moisture and nutrients to enter. Cores left on the surface can be used as a top dressing for your lawn, and the area may be used immediately after aerification. In fact, children playing on the area may well make the aerification even more effective in terms of loosening the soil. Not only will rain or the lawn sprinkler be more effective in getting moisture and nutrients to the grass plants, but moisture held deep in the ground will also become more available because of aerifying. How to get the most from aerification After you have aerified your lawn is a good time to fertilize and top dress with good, weed-free top soil. If your grass appears to be too sparse, but reasonably free of weeds, this is also a good time to apply some good quality grass seed. If you employ a professional landscaper ask him about these procedures and he can advise you in accordance with the condition of your lawn and what you would like to achieve.