Search your local Lawn Doctor     Free Lawn Checkup Scarifying Aeration Treatment Programmes   AERATING YOUR LAWN There's a whole world of lawn care below the surface of your lawn. All the foot traffic, mowing and watering going on above the surface causes soil compaction and thatch down below the surface. This prevents the grass roots from getting adequate water and nutrients, this can seriously reduce the health of your lawn. Many lawns, particularly those that receive heavy use, have compacted soil that restricts the movement of air, water and nutrients to the grass roots. As a result this proviedes a breading ground for Moss. To correct the problem of compacted soil, it is necessary to aerate your lawn from time to time. By Aerating it in effect removes the conditions that encourages moss. This is a difficult job to do yourself as it requires heavy, expensive equipment. But it is a service that can be carried out, without all the strain to you, by your local Countrywide Lawn Doctor. What is aeration? Aeration consists of perforating the soil (and any thatch above it) with small holes that allow water, air, and fertiliser to get closer to the roots. This enables the roots to grow more deeply, producing a more vigorous lawn. In tests, grass roots have been shown to proliferate around the holes. Why aerate? Poor drainage, failure to turn green after fertilising, and the presence of many worn areas may signal the need to aerate your lawn. Intensively maintained lawns should be aerated about once a year. Lawns with severe thatch problems or heavily compacted soils may require two aerations a year.     Copyright© 2006 Countrywide Lawn Doctor. All rights reserved.