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Started By
Message
Aerating vs Dethatching
Posted on 3/19/26 at 6:27 am
Posted on 3/19/26 at 6:27 am
More interested in my yard looking good (think it's a sign of old age for me)
On Northshore
Yard is primarily St Aug and established about 12 years.
I've never aerated or dethatched. Have raked and removed some thatch in parts of yard. But for most part I just mow and left shavings. I've been here 7 years, almost certain guy before me did nothing like this either.
I have access to core aerator. Hopeful that this would help general health of yard.
Questions are if I do aerate
Would I need to remove all the cores removed? Or do you typically just let them breakdown?
Would it possible help the drainage thru the soil as it's a clay heavy soil? would this require adding sand
Or am I completely wrong and should I rent a dethather? What I've read typically suggest since it's never been aerated or dethatched that aerating is better
On Northshore
Yard is primarily St Aug and established about 12 years.
I've never aerated or dethatched. Have raked and removed some thatch in parts of yard. But for most part I just mow and left shavings. I've been here 7 years, almost certain guy before me did nothing like this either.
I have access to core aerator. Hopeful that this would help general health of yard.
Questions are if I do aerate
Would I need to remove all the cores removed? Or do you typically just let them breakdown?
Would it possible help the drainage thru the soil as it's a clay heavy soil? would this require adding sand
Or am I completely wrong and should I rent a dethather? What I've read typically suggest since it's never been aerated or dethatched that aerating is better
6
Posted on 3/19/26 at 6:45 am to Stateguy
It's my understanding that you don't want to dethatch St. Aug as you will damage the stolons (runners). But I guess it depends on how the lawn currently looks and if you need to remove a lot of material to give it a reset.
I find just using a rake and raking up all the dead material to thin it out helps a lot.
I find just using a rake and raking up all the dead material to thin it out helps a lot.
Posted on 3/19/26 at 8:18 am to Stateguy
quote:
I have access to core aerator. Hopeful that this would help general health of yard. Questions are if I do aerate Would I need to remove all the cores removed? Or do you typically just let them breakdown? Would it possible help the drainage thru the soil as it's a clay heavy soil? would this require adding sand
No downside to lawn aeration, only upside, but you should do it when the lawn is in active growth, which is not now. May through summer. Leave the cores, they’ll breakdown in a couple weeks. No sand required. Not likely to help with drainage in heavy clay soil, assuming the clay layer is deeper than the depth of the core, which it most likely is.
Thatching? Look at any number of good Deep South cooperative extension land grant university publications and assess if your thatch build up warrants de-thatching. For example, Thatch Management - LSU AgCenter. Lawn aeration will help with thatch management & make sure you cut the St Augustine at the appropriate height, usually around 3-4 inches.
Posted on 3/21/26 at 6:25 am to CrawDude
do most people remove the cores?
Posted on 3/21/26 at 7:25 am to CrawDude
Well there is one potential downside to aeration and that’s potential damage to your irrigation system. Make sure you know and mark all heads beforehand.
Posted on 3/21/26 at 10:30 am to Stateguy
This post was edited on 3/21/26 at 11:05 am
Posted on 3/21/26 at 10:57 am to Stateguy
quote:
do most people remove the cores?
Not to my knowledge, no rationale for doing so. How does one practically remove 100s/1000s of little small soil cores from the lawn? But I’ve noticed it is a common question on this board for those who never aerated a lawn before. Might trouble an individual with lawn OCD for a bit.
My experience, my lawn, or neighbors, walking the lawn, precipitation, cutting grass, etc. the cores “melt” into lawn in a couple weeks, give or take.
Posted on 3/21/26 at 10:59 am to Crusty
quote:
Well there is one potential downside to aeration and that’s potential damage to your irrigation system. Make sure you know and mark all heads beforehand.
Touché….
Posted on 3/21/26 at 11:10 am to ole man
(no message)
Posted on 3/21/26 at 11:11 am to ole man
Posted on 3/21/26 at 5:38 pm to CrawDude
quote:
How does one practically remove 100s/1000s of little small soil cores from the lawn?
thought some people could rake them up
no sprinkler system to worry about
Thanks for the info
Posted on 3/24/26 at 1:45 pm to Stateguy
Cores will look like dog poop all over the yard.
If that is unpleasant to your eyes, then mow over them to bust them up. There’ll still be little pieces of cores left. So Maybe set the mower down a notch or two to facilitate a quicker breakdown of what’s left. Just sharpen your blade afterwards if needed.
If that is unpleasant to your eyes, then mow over them to bust them up. There’ll still be little pieces of cores left. So Maybe set the mower down a notch or two to facilitate a quicker breakdown of what’s left. Just sharpen your blade afterwards if needed.
Posted on 3/24/26 at 1:50 pm to bkhrph
I'm going to aerate mine soon. Just verticut. Cleaning up the cores sounds like a very unpleasant experience. Got a quote for aeration @$500 in Metairie. Just going to rent the machine from Home Depot instead.
Posted on 3/24/26 at 3:54 pm to LEASTBAY
I’m confused on this….
When I lookup areators, it shows me spike shoes (for lack of better word) that you strap on your shoes.
Is this not the way, or does this not help?
What does the machine do different?
When I lookup areators, it shows me spike shoes (for lack of better word) that you strap on your shoes.
Is this not the way, or does this not help?
What does the machine do different?
Posted on 3/24/26 at 4:29 pm to xBirdx
quote:
When I lookup areators, it shows me spike shoes (for lack of better word) that you strap on your shoes. Is this not the way, or does this not help? What does the machine do different?
Proper way - Core aerator - it’s a machine you rent or hire a lawn service company to do it for you. It removes a core-plug of turf-soil. Spikes (shoes or other similar devices) that do not remove a plug of soil is not the best device, particularly in heavy clay soil, common in south LA. In heavy clay soil it needs some weight to force the core tines into the soil. Often a water tank on the machine you fill to add weight.
Another article from the LSU AgCenter.
Compaction & Aerification - LSU AgCenter
Posted on 3/24/26 at 4:44 pm to LEASTBAY
quote:
Cleaning up the cores sounds like a very unpleasant experience.
Why would you clean up the cores? They'll be gone in 2-3 days... a week, tops.
Posted on 3/24/26 at 6:44 pm to xBirdx
The spikes do not remove a core so they will compact the soil more where the spike is going in. I guess they help some but not nearly as much. Also it's probably much harder work then you can imagine compared to using a machine.
Posted on 3/26/26 at 8:58 pm to highpockets
Give Connor a call at Southern Grasshoppers at 225-933-8344. Get your lawn aerated and top dressed with sand. The best way to do for sure.
Posted on 3/27/26 at 7:28 am to hondo
How much does it run to have them aerate and top dress?
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