Notice any rough or dead patches or maybe areas that have worn away from high traffic in your lawn? Do you have areas of poor drainage? Or maybe there are spots in your commercial turf that brown easily on hot days or don’t seem to respond as well to regular fertilization treatments and watering.
Sometimes the turf on your Atlanta commercial property just needs a little space to breath and grow, as well as some filling in to ensure bare areas disappear.
We’re talking about aeration and overseeding, two core turf services that can keep an Atlanta commercial lawn thriving and looking more like those highly coveted golf course lawns every commercial property manager desires.
These commercial landscaping practices can be quite effective at clearing up lawn problems — here’s a look at how long the techniques will actually take to work.
The Aeration Process And How Long It Takes To Be Effective
Aeration is the process of removing ½-inch diameter plugs of turf and soil from a commercial lawn using an aerator. In the process, aeration also removes thatch, areas in the top 4 inches of the soil that have become so compact that they constrict the flow of air, water and nutrients to turf roots. This is what essentially makes the turfgrass slow to recover from drought or traffic injury, as well as unable to absorb the nutrients it needs to thrive.
By removing these plugs, aeration gives turf roots the room they need to absorb water and nutrients. The removed plugs are usually left in place the day of aeration so they can dry up and be broken down with subsequent mowings, benefitting the lawn further by acting as additional topdressing.
While aeration itself can take just a couple of hours, depending on the size of your commercial property, plugs typically break down in about two weeks. This can be longer or shorter depending on weather conditions, but mowing does help expedite this process. Remember, never remove the plugs before they break down, or you can limit the effectiveness of aeration on your property.
The Overseeding Process And How Long It Takes To Be Effective
Aeration is perfect before overseeding because it opens up the soil area, helping create an environment where turf seeds can take root.
Like aeration, the overseeding process doesn’t take more than one day, depending on the size of the commercial property, but what happens afterward is what ensures seed germination and turfgrass establishment. The seeds should be kept moist for the first few weeks. Seed germination typically occurs in 14 to 21 days, depending on soil temperatures.
Keeping Atlanta’s Commercial Lawns Thriving!
As nighttime temperatures begin to cool, the time is perfect for aeration and overseeding of fescue turf on Atlanta commercial properties. HighGrove is happy to help your tired turf look brand new again with aeration and overseeding services.
