> I've got zoysia grass over clay soil. Probably 10-12,000 square feet of
> yard. The house is 15 years old, and there are large areas of the yard
> where the soil is extremely compacted to well below the depth a normal
> aerator will reach.
>
> Are there aerators that have longer tines/deeper penetration than the ones I
> usually see? I figure I need to loosen the soil at least 6" deep. >
> How about worms? Is there anything I could do increase the number of
> earthworms in the soil so they could help soften the soil over the long > term?
>
> Advise appreciated.
>
> KB
There's two ways to do this; which one you pick depends on the effort you're willing to put in, and how much time / money you have.
- Add at least 6" of compost, and till up the lawn. [You can do this in sections over a number of years for a lessening of the total task in any given year.] Reseed, and mist daily until you have new growth well-established. Then, go to regular lawn care.
- Add a 1-2" top dressing of compost spring and fall. Overseed bare patches. In the due course of time, the topsoil will become more loamy than clay.
If you provide more organic matter, earthworms will be likely to migrate to your yard naturally.
Chris Owens