Keeping your yard looking great requires you to devote a considerable amount of your free time and energy to lawn care. Even when you put forth your best effort to maintain a gorgeous lawn, it still may not have the lush, healthy look that you desire. Weather and soil conditions in Tulsa often work against homeowners. One of the more common hidden lawn challenges that local residents have is related to compacted soil.
Soil tends to become more compact over time, and in the process, grass roots have more difficulty getting the water and air that they need to survive. Compaction occurs naturally, such as when snow and ice blanket the ground and apply pressure. Tulsa is known for its intense storms because of its location in Tornado Alley. Downpours can beat down the soil. Foot traffic and other factors also cause soil compaction. Because compaction is not easily visible, many homeowners do not realize that this is a problem that they need to worry about. The reality is that the matter of compacted soil must be addressed at least once each year if you want to have a beautiful lawn that you can be proud of.
Several types of grasses thrive in Tulsa's climate and with its soil conditions. Bermuda grass is a warm-season grass that prefers full sunlight. This type of grass thrives when the roots can penetrate deeply into the ground. Tall fescue grass grows well in Tulsa because it is tolerant of drought conditions. It also prefers to grow in shaded areas so it can be used in combination with Bermuda grass. Ryegrass is a cool-season grass. Because of this, it most commonly is seeded over other types of dormant grass in the winter months to maintain a green yard across all season.
Each of these grasses have different maintenance requirements and preferred growing conditions, but they have one thing in common. They need aerated soil to thrive. Aeration is a process that loosens compacted soil, and this enables grass roots to grow deeper and to get the elements required for survival. There are two seemingly similar aeration methods, but only one is beneficial for your lawn. Cheaper hand tools are available at local stores that enable you to poke holes into your soil manually. The theory is that the holes allow the soil to absorb the elements it needs. However, this method does not actually loosen soil. By pushing holes into the ground, the soil around the holes is compacted further. This manual method takes a lot of time and energy, and unfortunately, it could make the soil even more compacted.
The other aeration method uses equipment that burrows into the soil and pulls plugs out of the ground. The plugs are deposited on top of the land nearby. By removing small sections of soil throughout the entire yard, the soil can spread out into these holes. Compaction is reduced, and water and air can more easily reach the roots. Also, fertilization is more effective because the fertilizer can penetrate deeper into the ground. This process can also be time-consuming, and purchasing efficient equipment to complete this type of aeration process can be expensive. Because of this, many Tulsa residents prefer to hire a professional for lawn aeration.
The best time of year to aerate your Tulsa lawn depends on the type of grass. Lawns with warm weather grasses, such as Bermuda, should ideally be aerated in the spring. This should be completed at least a few weeks after the last freeze of the year and before intense summer heat sets in. Cool weather grasses, on the other hand, respond well when the soil is aerated in the fall. To avoid damaging the grass, aeration should be done four weeks before the first freeze is expected. While these are general guidelines, understand that compacted soil is detrimental to your lawn. If your soil is very compacted and your lawn is showing distress as a result, it may be reasonable to aerate the soil during spring or fall months regardless of the type of grass that is growing.
If you are like other Tulsans, spending long hours tediously aerating every inch of your lawn is not the ideal way to spend your free time. The best times of the year for aeration are also the times when residents want to get out of the house and enjoy the beautiful weather conditions. For example, in the fall and spring months, you may love spending time kicking back at the Mohawk Park or touring the Tulsa Zoo with your family. You could also get tickets to a home game for the Tulsa Drillers, the Tulsa Oilers or other local teams. The Tulsa State Fair, the Tulsa Harvest Beer Festival and the Hound Dog Blues Festival are some of the many special events in the area that could entice you to step away from yard work and spend free time doing the things that you really want to be doing.
Rather than labor outdoors in the yard, you may want to catch a blockbuster at the local movie theater, relax with a good book or play with the kids. You could also explore Tulsa's top attractions, such as the Oklahoma Aquarium or the Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium. There are so many things that you would rather be doing than aerating your yard, but this is an essential task required for optimal grass health. You simply cannot overlook it if you want to have fantastic curb appeal.
Lawn Love understands the importance of aeration, and we want to help you take great care of your yard. If the time has come for you to aerate your lawn, contact us to schedule professional aeration service that can invigorate your lawn. When you let our diligent and experienced team do the work for you, you can relax knowing that the work will be done properly while you enjoy your free time fully. Schedule aeration services in Tulsa with Lawn Love today.
