Table of Contents
What Is Soil Aeration
Soil aeration is the process by which soil is aided to absorb enough air from the atmosphere. This can be achieved through different approaches.
One of the common approaches among gardeners is to punch holes in the ground. This allows for enough water and air to get into the soil. It reduces the heaviness of the soil.
Signs your garden soil needs aeration
It is important to check on the garden soil regularly. This ensures that you can identify whether the soil is well-aerated. Some signs can help you identify whether the soil needs aeration.
- When the soil is compacted
One of the signs that your garden soil needs aerating is its compactness. Some soils are heavily compact. They can hardly allow any amount of water to sip through. This means that even the nutrients are not absorbed in the soil properly.
The best sign of heavily compacted soil is dry patches on the surface. These are also surfaces that do not promote the growth of any foliage. This means the soil is heavily compacted and needs to be loosened.
- Hard to dig soils
Some soils are hard to dig. This can be tested using the digging tools. A shovel is a great example of such tools that can help greatly.
A major sign of hard soil is the flowing of water without sinking. This means that the soil does not have any openings. It is good to check on these signs to identify the best way of loosening the soil.
You can also identify hard soils with your touch. This can start by picking a sample of soil from the ground.
You can feel the hardness of the soil from its texture. It is also possible to try and crash the soil. The other major sign is the dryness of the soil when you feel it by hand.
- Signs of poor plant health
The other sign that your soil requires to be aerated is any signs of poor plant health. A gardener can easily check on the health of plants in their backyard.
Gardens that are poorly aerated produce unhealthy plants. This is because the plant cannot access enough water and nutrients.
How often should you aerate soil?
Understanding the regularity with which soil can be aerated is also good. This is because aeration should not be overcome in a garden. Overdoing the aeration also disturbs the soil texture and composition.
It is recommended to do that aeration at least once in two years. But this is mostly from soils that do not compact easily.
The frequency of aerating loam soil should differ from that of clay soils. This is because these soils compact differently across the seasons. The clay soils should be aerated often.
It is also important to consider the foot activity in a garden when deciding the regularity of aerating the soil.
There are gardens where a lot of food activity is present. This leads to heavy compactness of the soil. It means that the gardener needs to consider aerating the soil often.
Best way to aerate compacted soil
There are a few steps that you should learn when deciding how to aerate the soil.
Step 1: Water the lawn
The first step of aerating the soil is to water it. Watering the lawn is important for reducing the level of compactness. This softens the hard soil before making an effort to loosen it. It is recommended to water the lawn at least 1 inch deep.
Step 2: “Mow” the lawn
Mowing the lawn is also an important step in aerating the soil. It is recommended to mow the lawn twice a season. This helps to open up the soil and reduce compaction. Mowing lawns is mostly recommended in gardens that experience heavy traffic.
Step 3: Leave soil plugs
Leaving the soil plugs for some time is also considered an important step. These plugs should be left to dry. The idea is to break them later and loosen their hardness. The breaking should be done to the preferred texture of the garden soil.
Step 4: Apply compost
Another important step in aerating the garden soil is to apply compost. Applying compost is identified as appropriate for retaining moisture in the soil.
The idea is to prevent the hardening of the soil. It is considered one of the common soil amendment techniques in gardens.
The compost should be evenly spread in a garden for greater success. The mulch is linked to improving the soil texture and composition. This can also work best if some holes are punched into the ground before the compost is added.
Mechanical ways to use for aerating the soil
The mechanical method is the most efficient in aerating the garden. Gardeners popularly use two methods. This includes the plug aerator and the spike aerator.
- Plug Aerator
Using a plug aerator has been listed as among the best ways of aerating the soil. The machine is good at punching holes in the soil. It creates hollow tubes.
This is considered as easy to use for gardeners. It is good to look for the best plug aerator, especially for large gardens.
There are different types of plug aerators, including pull-behind and tow-behind aerators. Remember that you should have the proper skills to use these aerators before purchasing.
There are also some easy-to-use plug aerators commonly known as walk-behind aerators. These are gas-powered and cheap to maintain. They work like lawnmowers. However, they are only suited for small gardens.
- Spike Aerator
There are also spike aerators that gardeners use in aerating the soil. This is a good aerator for punching holes.
These aerators are easy to ride and use. They are mostly preferred, especially for large farms. This is because they are well suited for heavy work.
Both types are excellent for soil aeration and are well-used. Whichever type you prefer, you must know how to operate them.
The disadvantage of poor soil aeration
Soil aeration some with numerous benefits. That is why it is disadvantageous for gardeners who need to consider aerating their gardens. A major disadvantage is that their gardens do not enjoy enough nutrients. This means that they produce unhealthy plants.
It is also a concern that poorly aerated soils do not absorb enough moisture. This means that the plants can easily dry out. It is also important to ensure that you avoid overdoing the aeration. The goal should be to ensure that the aeration is monitored.
The ideal time of the year to aerate the soil
It is also good to understand the best time to aerate the soil. This is because not all seasons are good for aeration.
Some seasons may further stress the soil texture if often aerated. It is good to also check on the type of soil. This includes checking on the moisture content before aeration.
- Aerate after removing cover crops.
The garden’s cover crops can guide you on when to aerate. You should aerate more often in gardens where the cover crops die off during winter. This is in preparation for the sprouting of new cover crops in the garden.
- Aerate during the warmer seasons
Warmer seasons are also considered the best for successful aeration. Late spring and early autumn can work great for this activity.
Remember that it is also good to consider aerating the soil after it has been successfully mowed. The mowing is usually done in the early periods of the summer season.
Do and don’ts when aerating the soil
One of the major requirements when aerating the soil is to avoid changing the structure. This is because the changes in structure can lead to the loss of important nutrients. It is also a threat because it can lead to heavy compactness when the soil settles.
It is also recommended to add mulch when aerating the soil. The idea should be to retain the moisture and nutrient content. It is also recommended to check on the frequency of aeration. The activity should not be done often to avoid soil disturbance.
Is it better to aerate wet or dry soil?
One major concern among gardens is the issue of soil moisture when considering soil aeration. Experts have looked into it, and they have a perfect answer.
It is good to aerate moist soil. This means that the soil should be relatively dry. It also means that the soil should be manageable.
Aerating wet soil is impossible. This is because the soil is usually compact. It can also stick on the tool being used to aerate. This means that the process may not be efficient. It is also licked to increased soil erosion.
Remember that soil aeration work to the advantage of the garden. It is the right activity for adding water, soil, and nutrients to the soil.
The procedure sued does not matter. The main goal of the aeration should be to ensure that the soil is well-balanced and ready for planting.