Core aeration is a lawn care process that will help your lawn in Ohio absorb the resources it needs better. The process involves pulling up plugs of soil from the ground to loosen compacted soil and create channels for nutrients to pass through and reach the root layer. After aeration, you will see clumps of soil scattered across your lawn. These clumps of soil are the byproduct of the process and should be left on your turf to decompose. This way, they can return nutrients back to the soil for your lawn to benefit from! If you hate how they look, you can break them up by raking or mowing over them to speed up the decomposition process. You can also remove them altogether, but it's not the best move because your lawn will miss out on the nutrients from the decomposing soil cores.

Why are there clumps of soil on your lawn after core aeration?

Aeration soil plugs on top of grass in Mansfield, OH.

If you've recently had your lawn aerated, you might notice clumps of soil scattered across it. These are the result of the core aeration process in which plugs or cores of soil are pulled out of the ground using an aerator machine to address soil compaction. The clumps of soil are around 2 to 3 inches long and leave behind holes in the ground. These holes act as channels for nutrients and other essential resources like water and oxygen to easily reach the roots of your grass.

What should you do with the clumps of soil from aeration?

The best way to deal with the clumps of soil on your lawn after core aeration is to leave them as they are. These soil cores were once part of your lawn, which means they contain the same nutrients and organic matter your turf had before they were removed. Over time, they will break down and return those helpful nutrients back into the soil. That way, it can benefit from them.

Soil cores created during aeration usually decompose within 2 weeks.

What should you do if you dislike the look of the soil clumps on your lawn?

The clumps of soil on your lawn after aeration are beneficial to its health. However, if you can't stand how they look, here are things you can do with them:

  • You can rake or mow over the cores of soil. Doing this will break up the soil clumps and make them a bit more inconspicuous on your lawn. Raking or mowing over them will also speed up their decomposition, which means your lawn will still enjoy the nutrients they contain and look great after aeration without the obvious soil clumps!
  • You can remove the soil plugs altogether. If you really dislike the look of the soil clumps on your lawn, you can get rid of them completely. However, your lawn will be missing out on the health boost from the soil clumps through the nutrients they return during decomposition.

Help your lawn reach its full potential with our core aeration service. Call us today to sign up!

One of the best ways to get your lawn to its best health is by aerating it. Here at Free Spray Lawn Care, we offer our core aeration service to commercial and residential properties in Mansfield, Wooster, Strongsville, and nearby communities in Ohio. This service is offered in the fall to ensure your lawn can tolerate the process. We use high-quality hydraulic aerators that can go deeper into the soil for better results! For 21 years, our crew has been taking care of lawns through services like core aeration to help them reach their full potential. Give us a call today at 419-529-5296 to sign up for our core aeration service!