We provide Verticutting and Aerating services to the Kansas City Metro area.
Please call today for an estimate (816) 444-3404 or email us at: landscaping@soilservice.com
Click below for a description of Verticutting and Core Aerating.
About Core Aerating [1]
Core aerator and verticutting machines are wonderful tools to renovate and maintain lawns; when used for their intended purpose. Here is a brief overview of how and why we use them:
CORE AERATORS
This is an excellent machine for our heavy clay Kansas City soils. Core aerators pull soil “plugs” that provide the following benefits to your lawn:
- Loosens compacted soil and increases water absorption and nutrient avail-ability
- Increases soil oxygen stimulating root growth as well as organisms that de-compose thatch.
- Great to use when seeding in compacted soils, or soils with less than ½ inch of thatch
Time to Use: Spring or fall for cool season grasses (fescue, bluegrass or ryegrass) but early to mid September is the preferred time. For warm season grasses (zoysia or bermudagrass) early summer after full green up is best; around June first.
How to Use when Fall or Spring Seeding- run the aerator 2-3 times over damp ground. Seed with Soil Service’s KC Marathon (Fescue/bluegrass mix) or KC Endurance (Turf-type Tall fescue blend), apply Ferti-lome New Lawn Starter fertilizer and begin watering. The seed germinates in the aerator holes with proper fertilization.
WARNING- IF YOU HAVE AN IN-GROUND IRRIGATION SYSTEM, BE SURE TO MARK/FLAG THE IRRIGATION HEADS AND VALVES TO KEEP THE MACHINE AWAY FROM THESE PARTS- THE AERATOR CAN BREAK THEM!!
VERTICUTTING
A verticutter improves seed to soil contact when seeding. It can remove thatch prior to seeding.
To improve seed to soil contact and if thatch is not an issue:
- Be sure ground is slightly wet but not saturated- make one pass with the verticutter
- Apply seed
- Make second pass with verticutter at approximately right angles to the first pass
- Apply Ferti-lome New Lawn Starter fertilizer
- Water
DETHATCHING
A heavy thatch of ½ inch or more should be removed prior to seeding. This is a messy but necessary job when thatch is a problem. As a general rule, each pass will remove only about ¼ inch of thatch so multiple passes may be needed, preferably at right angles, to get to the soil layer for best seed to soil contact. Mow a little lower than normal and water lightly if needed prior to this step. Once thatch is removed, you can use the verticutting method above for seeding.
NOTE- THIS MACHINE DOES NOT REDUCE COMPACTION AND IS NOT MEANT FOR TILLING!