With advancements in the understanding of soil health, we have seen new aeration techniques such as liquid aeration over the last 5-7 years have become more and more popular. The goal of aeration is to relieve soil compaction and help manage thatch. What if we could greatly reduce soil compaction on a much larger scale without tearing up the lawn in the process? Well, now we can!
What causes soil compaction, and what can help relieve it?
Traffic? Yes. Soil types? Yes. Climate? YES! Climate can be one of the biggest proponents of soil compaction. Arid dry climates result in arid dry soils. We irrigate these soils but that isn’t always enough.
A search for the answer to the question of how can we help to relieve compaction and allow for more moisture into our soils inevitably led to the development of core aeration in the golf and sports turf industries. Over time that practice was innovated for residential and commercial turf care. The goal of aeration is to relieve soil compaction and help manage thatch. What if we could greatly reduce soil compaction on a much larger scale than the individual little holes in the lawn without tearing up the lawn in the process? Well, now we can!
The product we use is called N-EXT Air-8. The process of liquid aeration is essentially breaking the bonds of nutrients and other matter in the soil. These can be natural metals, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and more that are being released to the plant and also reducing the soil compaction they are causing.
What is liquid aeration?
The product we use is called N-EXT Air-8. The process of liquid aeration is essentially breaking the bonds of nutrients and other matter in the soil. These can be natural metals, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and more that are being released to the plant and also reducing the soil compaction they are causing.
In Colorado Springs and surrounding areas, we know that with our soil aeration is a must for a healthy lawn. With liquid AIR-8 the product soaks into the soil and relieves compaction while providing other benefits for the soil compound itself. AIR-8 breaks bonds in the soil to create a pore space between the soil particles themselves. This leaves space for more air, water, and nutrients to travel. It also assists in deeper and more dense roots which in turn increases drought tolerance.
I’ve always done regular core aeration and never had a problem. Why change?
Mechanical aeration temporarily damages whereas the organic liquid aeration does no damage at all. This means it can be done at any time during the season rather than just those spring and fall time frames that are the old standard for the lawn care industry. While core aeration pulls plugs every few inches across the lawn, liquid AIR-8 covers the entire surface area of the turf. More coverage directly correlates to more consistent results and greater benefits overall.
The main reasons that Air-8 is a better long-term approach than core aeration are:
- It allows more irrigation/rain into the soil profile, which helps with compaction
- The organic material helps to improve the overall soil health
- The humic allows us to quickly shock the soil’s PH
How often does Integrated Lawn Care suggest lawns be aerated?
At Integrated Lawn Care, we recommend that you aerate your Colorado lawn during spring and fall. For the springtime after the winter, lawns are so much more compacted than at other times of the year. Aeration reduces the compaction, allowing oxygen and moisture into the ground to encourage healthy spring growth. The fall time of year typically finds a lot of compaction due to root growth from perennial grasses; aeration loosens up the root mass and soil, providing needed oxygen and moisture to the roots. Soil compaction is a reality for the Colorado Springs area, and it is a major impediment to the growth of healthy and lush grass. Lawn aeration is the only solution to this problem.
Contact us to learn more about our professional aeration services in Colorado Springs.