Does your lawn need help? Is it ready for Spring? Does it have a thick dense root base of a healthy lawn? Lawn Core Aeration may be the solution to a lush lawn resilient to Michigan weather conditions. Aeration, means to supply with air. Lawn Core Aeration is the process of opening the ground from cores removed exposing the root system allowing air deeper into the root base. Core Aeration removes cores or plugs of soil about ¾” in diameter by 2-3” long from the ground providing many benefits to your lawn. The benefits of core aeration start with reducing soil compaction caused by lawn mowing, normal settling, and foot traffic. Removing the plugs relieves the stress on the roots allowing them to grow deeper and thicker. The deeper root system is less susceptible to heat and drought during the summer months. This is also important for lawns that were started with sod or have a clay soil base because they usually have a shallow root system. With the plugs removed, not only does air get deeper into the ground, but so does water and nutrients for feeding the deeper root base. Following a lawn core aeration is a good time to over seed and further help grow a thick dense lawn. Once the core or plug is removed from the soil it lays on top of the ground. This is part of the process and benefits of lawn core aeration. The soil from the plug breaks down on top of the thatch layer helping to decompose the thatch. A moderate level of Thatch is needed on a lawn to provide shade and protection to the grass roots but decomposing some of the thatch helps keep a balance so that the grass is not starved of oxygen, water and nutrients by too much thatch. Having a healthier and thicker root base also helps in naturally preventing weeds that thrive in thin and open patches of a lawn. Core Aeration is a natural and organic way to growing a healthy lawn resilient to the stress of many of the conditions it will encounter throughout the seasons.