Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

DO NOT aerate your lawn until the soil temperature is up to about 50 degrees minimum.  I know that everyone gets excited when spring gets close, but you will do more harm than good by getting a jump on aerating.  Beating the crowd to the rental place is not good cultural practices.

The whole purpose of aerating is to open up the soil to allow air circulation for the roots of the turf.  To relieve compaction and give the roots a chance to move through the soil more easily.  Also, by opening up the surface, you will be able to allow water and fertilizer to reach the root zone more easily.

BUT..................when you do this too early you risk freezing the roots because cool night air can really do a number on the exposed roots.  They don't have the buffer to protect them when the temps fall off at night.  The lawn will effectively be shocked.  

If you want to follow the best cultural practices for your lawn, then get a thermometer and wait for the temp. to come up first, then go at it and pound the crap out of it.  More holes the better.  The soil will really be able to breathe and your turf will really respond.  Timing is everything!

Ken

2-handled manual post hole digger we used as kids to put up a fence). 

And I agree with Chris...clean it up before you return it. 

Paula

you are incredable . any chance i could hire you we need some help at work and im sure you would do fine.

later chris  

I thought that your rented directly from the store.  I wondered why I didn't see it advertised more.  We don't even have a HD around here. 

AJace,

liking orange, you are a HD natural. how far is the nearest HD from you?

they rent pressure washers and other machines you can use around the house.kind of like a mini nations rent. lots of orange machines.

wd