Compaction is the enemy of a good lawn. When soil becomes compacted — as it inevitably does in any used garden — air and water cannot penetrate to the grass roots, growth becomes stressed and the lawn thins. Aeration breaks up compaction and makes an immediate, visible difference.
Why Lawns Get Compacted
Every time a lawn is walked on, played on or maintained, the soil beneath compacts slightly. Over years, this creates a dense layer of compacted soil, often 5–15cm below the surface, that prevents air, water and nutrients from reaching grass roots.
Types of Aeration
There are two main types of lawn aeration — spiking and hollow-tining — and they address compaction in different ways.
- Solid spiking: pushes soil aside rather than removing it — good for mild compaction
- Hollow tining: removes a core of soil — best for severe compaction
- Slitting (verti-draining): cuts into the soil, improves drainage quickly
- Best time in Hampshire: September to October for hollow tining
- Can also be done in spring — March or April
After Aeration
After hollow tining, top dress with a sandy loam mix to fill the holes and improve surface drainage. Overseed if the lawn is thin. Apply an autumn fertiliser to support recovery and root development through winter.
A&T Landscapes provides professional lawn aeration and renovation services across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire. Call 07735 916029.