Spring has officially arrived! And, while the rainy days will linger on, warmer temperatures and sporadic sunny weather have already begun here in Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver, Washington. With spring comes a whole host of landscaping tasks that should be performed in order to keep your yard looking its best. At the top of that list are aeration and dethatching.
What is Aerating and Dethatching?
Aerating
Aerating is a task that should be performed annually. Put simply, aeration is the process of puncturing tiny holes throughout your lawns. There are several ways to go about this. There are manual aeration tools that require the user to drive the tool into the ground to create holes; this process can be rather time-consuming. Of course, you can use a powered aerator as well. The powered aerator is, obviously, a much faster and simpler process. The plugs that are pulled from the ground when the holes are made can be left to compost into the lawn, helping to build the soil; plugs can always be removed from the lawn as well and composted in another location.
Dethatching
Dethatching is another task that we suggest be performed annually, as well. Dethatching is the basic task of removing excess debris (also known as “thatch“) from your lawn. Throughout the year, an abundance of debris builds up in your lawn, which can have a negative impact on the health of your lawn. Similar to aerating, dethatching can be done manually or with the use of a “power rake.” Obviously, the manual way is more cumbersome and time-consuming, but may be your best option for incredibly small yards.
The Benefits of Aeration and Dethatching
Both processes of aeration and dethatching have similar goals; to allow more sunlight, moisture, air, and other essential nutrients to penetrates further into the depths of your lawn and soil. Dethatching removes excess debris that blocks nutrients, and aerating, by puncturing small holes, allows these nutrients to penetrate even further into the soil. Allowing air, sunlight, and moisture to reach further into the ground creates a healthier root system for your grass. A healthier and happier root system always translates into a happier and healthier lawn; so it is of the utmost importance to keep the roots of your lawn healthy in order to maintain your lawn’s lush appearance.
At Urban Eden Landscaping, we pride ourselves on having all of the appropriate tools and knowledge to take care of all of your landscape needs; aerating and dethatching services are no exception. If you’re in need of landscape assistance, contact us today or fill our FREE estimate request online. Happy spring!