What is the standard size for an airator? I would like to try this on my yard. Home Depot rents one that makes a hole about the size of a nickel or a dime. Does this sound correct?

Any size is beneficial. If it's a small hole just go over it perpendicular to the first pass. A lot of little holes are just as good. Don't forget to put down some amendments in those open holes.
Tony M

Adding to Tony M's suggestions, I would try for a dry weather cycle. If you have heavy Spring rains immediately following the aeration, your holes may get filled with soil washed in by the rains. This will diminish the benefits you would normally derive.

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Keeping it clean and green here, Boss.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

If you have a compaction problem, I firmly believe you will get much more milage out of good management than from an aerator. Here is a list of best practices compiled from here, there, and everywhere.

1. Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an hour in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds.

2. Mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. Bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses are the most dense when mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. Dense grass shades out weeds and uses less water when tall. Dense grass feeds the deep roots you're developing in 1 above.

3. Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 4 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above.

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David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum

And buy earthworms! They work and burrow 24/7!

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...Bill

If you have lousy soil & compaction, I would aerate and a then add amendments to the yard. After that follow Dchall's recommendations.

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The "soap" you use is normally chemicals, etc. Use real SOAP !!

Thanks for all the great suggestions!! It sounds like the size of the hole doesn't matter as long as good amendments are applied afterwards. I plan to apply Dried mollasas, Texas Greensand or Organite, and a organic fertilizer after the airation.

I have already applied diro dirt and corn glutin meal to my lawn. It sounds like I may have been pre-mature in this application?

What is a good easy way to make the 7 1/2" deep holes all around a large sick tree? It would take a week to do it with a steel pipe and hammer, also, how close should the holes be?

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Jim Vance
Athens, Tx.

Your tree roots go way out into your yard. Putting holes around the tree won't have the benefit you need. If you want to aerate, you need to rent an aerator. If you can't afford to rent one, putting all the amendments out still helps although a little slower.

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=130

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The "soap" you use is normally chemicals, etc. Use real SOAP !!

I think Jim is talking about the recommendation that HG has in his sick tree treatment and I have wondered the same thing. As I recall, he suggests a 7" to 12" aeration at the drip line of tree along with his soil additives and if anyone knows how this type aeration might be accomplished, would be helpful. Thanks - Susan

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"Life ain't in holding a good hand, but playing a good hand well." - William Smeathers

I think Howard says if you can't mechanically aerate, apply a soil conditioner like Medina or Earthworm or something that has or encourages microbes to aerate for you.
Most people can afford and operate the machine so that should be your first choice.
Tony M

One could use a large-tined pitchfork. Still sounds like a lot of work though. Regarding spacing, I don't really know. I would think something like 6" or so. If using the pitchfork, maybe every foot or so since the tines are about 2" apart.

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The "soap" you use is normally chemicals, etc. Use real SOAP !!

On page 93 of the Texas Bug Book there is a story by Malcom Beck. He had a very large, very sick pecan tree he was treating. Here is how he aerated:

"I took a three-foot-long piece of half-inch pipe and cut off one end at an angle; I fitted the other end into a water hose. I turned up the pressure on our well pump, then used the pipe to make holes in the soil under the tree about four feet apart and eighteen inches deep over the whole mulch area. The holes were made with more of a washing than drilling action, which aerated really well without damaging the tree roots. I was washing subsoil out, and the return water was carrying compost tea down into the roots."

I would assume it was a metal pipe. The only tricky part would be how to fit the hose to the pipe.

BTW, if you don't have this book I highly recommend it. Besides all the bug information there are several stories like this one by Malcom Beck and Howard Garrett.

Just a note on my experience with aerating my soil. The black gumbo soil in my yard has never reached a level where the soil is adequately aerated on its own. This is after two years of what I'd consider a slightly elevated (in terms of amendments) totally organic program. Regularly applied amounts of lava sand, compost, organic fertilizer, bio-stimulants, mechanical aeration, coffee grounds, corn meal, green sand, garret jucie lawn drenchings, dry humate, corn gluten meal, dry and liquid molassas. You name it, I've probably added it to my lawn.

Yet my soil is still compacted black clay. Immediately after 90 minutes of watering I can only jam a pitchfork about an inch deep into the soil using most of my 175lbs. I just got done doing my back yard an hour ago. Damn, I'm tired!

I've had a service come in and mechanically aerate about 6 times over the course of those two years, and it's helped somewhat. However, the best I've ever had with this method is plugs being pulled out that measure about 3/4 to 1" at best. The machines used are capable of pulling 2" plugs if I remember correctly. Short of making my own water pipe doohickie, that ziggy reports Mr. Beck having used, there's nothing that's going to penetrate 7" down into my soil, much less a full 12".

~Dave

dcluck, what kind of grass do you have? And how are you watering and mowing?

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David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum