Difference Between Power Raking and Aerating

By removing soil cores, aeration allows your lawn to breathe and provides a channel for moisture and vital nutrients to get down to the roots of your lawn. It also decreases water runoff. It reduces thatch build up and allows fertilizer, water and air direct access to the root system to encourage deeper root growth. The plugs then decompose naturally in a couple of weeks, also adding nutrients to the soil. Your lawn will be stimulated to grow new, more vigorous root systems, which will help prepare it for the inevitable stresses that come with our South Dakota climate. Aerations are performed during the early spring and fall when the temperatures are cool or begin to moderate. Soil must be moist to do the aeration. Sprinkler heads and sprinkler boxes need to be marked prior to the service. Aerations are not recommended for new sod or newly seeded lawns less than 2 years old.