Why You Should Hire A Lawn Aerator

It’s Especially Important In Laramie’s Dry, Cold Climate

Sometimes it’s hard to be a lawn in Laramie, Wyoming. Between our long, cold winters, strong winds, dry summers, short growing season, and high altitude, you have to admire the tough, plucky grass that manages to grow and even thrive here! But to continue to be green and beautiful, it’s important to aerate your lawn twice a year so that it can get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to be healthy. You can aerate yourself, or you can hire a professional lawn aerator to get the job done, but don’t overlook this important step in keeping your landscaping alive and thriving.

What Is Lawn Aeration?

Over time, soil tends to compact, especially when it gets a lot of traffic (such as in a backyard where kids and pets play regularly). Soils like Laramie’s signature red clay are especially susceptible to this kind of compaction. As the soil presses together and gets denser, it makes it hard for grass roots to grow deep and strong, which weakens the plant. It also makes it nearly impossible for water and other essential nutrients to reach the roots, hindering healthy growth even more. 

Lawn aeration breaks up the soil by pulling cores of it out of the earth and leaving small holes behind. Have you ever been to the park in the springtime and been confused about why there are so many dog-poop-shaped dirt clods lying around? The answer is that the grass has just been aerated! Even though it might be weird and a little inconvenient for a day or two, aeration plays a huge role in keeping that lovely park grass green, lush, beautiful, and healthy. The same is true for your home or business’s lawn.

When Should You Aerate?

In Laramie, the answer is usually around mid-May right before the grass starts to turn green and become active for the spring, summer, and fall months. Aerating a dormant lawn can cause it a huge amount of stress and can even set its growth back for the year. Occasionally, it can also be beneficial to aerate during the fall months before the grass goes dormant for the winter. A simple way to tell if your lawn needs aeration is to take a screwdriver and stick it into the ground once things start to thaw a little. If the screwdriver meets little resistance, your lawn is probably fine. But if it takes work to get it in the ground, then it’s probably time to aerate.

If you’d like one of our experts to survey your lawn and make a recommendation for when to aerate, we encourage you to give us a call at 307-745-9670.

Can You Do Lawn Aeration Yourself?

The short answer: yes! Even if you don’t own aeration equipment, you can rent it from many lawn and garden places around town. In most cases, aeration is a lot like mowing your lawn, and most rental places will provide you with basic instructions about how to operate the aerator. However, it’s important to consider the time that aeration will take. If your lawn is small or if you enjoy yard and garden work, then do-it-yourself aeration probably won’t be a problem for you. On the other hand, if you’re busy with work, kids, activities, and other obligations, or if you have a large commercial or residential property, it’s probably worth it to hire a lawn aerator to come in and do the job. 

At Tough Guys, we can help with all your lawn aeration needs! Give our Laramie office a call at 307-745-9670 if you have questions or would like to set up a time for us to take care of your lawn.