Aeration On The Cheap

[<usenet2006]

Renting a proper aerator machine costs bucks. Plus, my yard is relatively small and laid out oddly (partly including a 45-degree slope, and a sunken area.)

So, would it help to just do it manually with a large fork? How far apart, and how deep? The soil is rather clay-ish, although thoroughly watering it helps when digging garden beds.

I have already added lime and fertiliser in the past couple months. And just yesterday spot-treated some broadleaf weeds with Roundup ("Die! Diiiiieeee!") This place was neglected before I moved in.

It is (an especially cold) springtime in this part of the world, and I will overseed when the weather gets better in a month or so.

[Mike]

Core aeration is the best, the physical removal of cores from your lawn, perhaps some aeration shoes?

Roundup shouldnt be used on your lawn...peroid. Use a 2-4-D product instead.

[Nicole]

Proper aerating can only be done with core aeration. When you use spikes, you're just compressing the soil around that hole.

You'll also want to dethatch if there's a buildup greater than 1/2 inch. You can prevent thatch by avoiding excess nitrogen application, irrigating deeply and infrequently, and minimizing the use of lawn pesticides that can reduce populations of microorganisms responsible for decomposing the thatch.

To save on the money, maybe you can find some neighbors, friends who can all help split the cost. Or just splurge this once and have a gardener aerate and dethatch..

Check with your county's cooperative extension for further information on how to properly correct your lawn problems. Nicole in CA

[Tom The Great]

I saw sandles(that go on the outside of your shoes) that have big spikes on it. Kinda like golf shoes on roids. Just walking around your yard will aerote it.

Now you can put those years of clogg dancing lessions to use. :)

later,

tom @

[Tom The Great]

Salid or Dinner?

:p

tom

[Ken Weitzel]

Hey, pay attention! We're talking gardening, so clearly you'd need a pickle fork! :)

Ken

[Tom The Great]

My Bad!

;)