Aeration - Why Aerate?
Definition:
Operations which are carried out to improve turf by physical methods to ventilate the soil, improve drainage and encourage better root development. A process by which air in the soil is replaced by air from the atmosphere.
Why aerate?
The purpose behind all aerating techniques is to maintain or increase the proportion of pore space within the soil structure. Under the influence of play and maintenance practices, pore spaces become constricted as compaction increases.
Compaction of the root zone layer leads to ponding or more extensive water logging, thatch build up and a reduction in playing days.
The surface also suffers unnecessary damage during play or training. Once such a situation is noted, deterioration in sward quality shows in rapid annual meadow grass ingress.
In addition to maintaining free drainage, aeration has other positive benefits. An open, dry soil structure will warm more quickly in the spring promoting root extension, and will enhance the percolation of irrigation water during drought summers.
Summary
Aeration is one of the most vital maintenance operations to be carried out on any sports turf area. Its primary function is to speed up surface water removal by improving the drainage characteristics of the soil. Beyond this obvious scope aeration can be invaluable in improving the efficiency of irrigation and improving levels. There is a tremendous variety of machinery to choose from to complete essentially the same task.
Expertise is necessary to appreciate the type of implement to be used for a particular situation as part of a regular programme and for one-off trouble spots. There are three basic types of aeration technique most commonly employed on sports turf:
- Slit tine aeration
- Solid tine aeration
- Hollow tine aeration
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