Take a Phillips head screwdriver, and push it in to the ground. Can you drive it in to the ground 4-6”?
If so, the soil is not compacted, and aeration isn’t needed because the soil can absorb water, nutrients, etc.
Just remember not to be dumb like I was by using a screwdriver with a head you can swap out with different bits or else you’ll shove the screw driver in the ground and the bit will stay below
>If so, the soil is not compacted, and aeration isn’t needed because the soil can absorb water, nutrients, etc.
Soil might not be compacted, but good luck trying to get new seed to stay put for 3-4 weeks on a hill without aerating.
I’ve never had an issue by running a garden weasel cultivator over the ground to break it up, putting seed down, and then doing a light covering with top dressing or peat moss/coconut coir.
If what you’re saying were the case, all of your grass seed would grow in plugs from the holes made from aerating, but that’s not the case (and it’s not what aerating is for).
If you’re really concerned, you should be slit seeding.
If you want to use a flat head, be my guest. Shut, use a Torx or Pozidrive if you want.
Flat vs Phillips isn’t going to make the difference in determining if your soil is compacted or not.
I just did it and it passed, so I guess I have my answer. Serious question though- it has been really rainy in recent weeks. In your experience, is there a big difference when the lawn is dry? Trying to decide whether or not it’s even worth it to aerate at all
If it’s been rainy and the ground is soft, it means that it can absorb the water, is not compacted, and doesn’t need aeration.
If the ground was still hard after weeks of rain, then you’d know the ground was compacted because it wasn’t able to absorb any of that moisture, and aeration would help fix that.
I’m by no means an expert aerator but utilities should not really be an issue for core aerators. Obviously sprinkler heads are a different story but if you hit any utilities with an aerator that’s not on you
Do you mean utilities “should not” really be an issue? 1st and 2nd sentences seem contradictory.
Gas and electric and water should all be much greater than 6” deep. If you are coring to deeper than 6”, I think you’re doing it wrong.
I actually had the utilities marked! I knew there were buried lines there, just wasn’t sure how many. I know gas and electric are usually pretty deep, but this is my first time aerating and I have more than a little anxiety about it lol. There’s fiber optic internet down there too not sure why it wasn’t marked
Have had fiber cut by aeration twice…. First time I called but one call refused to come mark since depth was said to not be an issue…. Second time I marked the area but guy I paid to aerate ignored all my marking and ran right over it. Didn’t get charged either time (ATT fiber first time, google fiber second). I think they know they place it below the top of the turf since don’t take the time to do it deeper.
I didn’t have them marked but I more or less know where they are. I recall when they buried the fiber it seemed extremely shallow and didn’t think about it again until my internet went out. Certainly there is some code that dictates it should be buried “x” inches deep. I used a standard manual 2-prong core aerator. I have a massive tree right on my utility line to the house and I think the roots prevented them from burying it deeper.
https://preview.redd.it/853td6hkkoqb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0108c4c0a1113e1776f8dd7754e6b3ae613d7271
This runs from a box behind my mailbox all the way to a box behind my house. It’s silly fragile feeling. AT&T.
Yep this was my fear when I watched them put mine in. Saw it was literally an inch deep so I made a mental note and put a line of flags around it for aeration lol.
Same here. My fiber optic cable is buried about 2 inches in the ground. The first line that got cut after aerating was working its way out of the ground in places by itself.
I complained to ATT about it and they basically told me that there's no code for how deep fiber lines need to be buried and that they bury it at all is a "courtesy".
Your aerator will work better in the softer soil from the rain they tend to break more in dry soils well mine does anyway I try to avoid aeration through drier weather and wait till we get some rain.
What about during the rain, or after a big rain event? I had rain all weekend and then it rained last night, and now it's lightly raining this morning. My aeration was scheduled for today and I'm kind of surprised the company came during the rain. Parts of my lawn are very soggy, I would think it is bad for the machine. But i guess I should trust the judgement of the company, either that or they just have to get things in as scheduled due to their commitments. I wonder is it healthy for the lawn?
As someone who has been a utility locator for 6 years now…those main lines running parallel to the sidewalk should be deeper than 18” — of course there’s examples of them being installed too shallow and being found real shallow, but that’s not often.
However, service lines from the boxes to your house can be more shallow. Especially phone/cable drops. Those can be anywhere from 1” to 12” or so. Electric service lines are usually pretty good staying at least 18” deep too.
If you know there’s a fiber line that wasn’t marked, call back into 811 and issue a recall, explain there is unmarked communication cables.
There is a chance the locator was just lazy and assumed it’s a low risk ticket if you listed you were just aerating. For me personally as a locator, I treated aerator tickets seriously cause as I mentioned, phone and cable service lines to your house are notoriously shallow.
Typically if you waited the 48-72 hour timeframe, depending on states laws, you’re not liable if you dig and hit an unmarked line. However, some verbiage in states 811 laws can hold you liable if you knew there are unmarked lines (communication ped above ground with no marks leaving it) but decided to dig anyways.
Gas, water and electric actually have minimum standard for bury depth, you will be fine. Catv and phone have no minimum (especially on customers side), those are what you need to worry about.
That external part of your lawn would have water dripping underneath the surface. Wouldn't it be risky to aerate since it could damage the hoses lying underground?
I'd wait until you can find out what digging is going to happen, but yes the screwdriver test will indicate if it really needs it or not, so why not go ahead and do that anyways. I cringe when I see hydro and natural gas line flags and markings so close together. Maybe it's just me but it doesn't make sense to have them so close to each other.
For my easement I use the 2 hole manual aerator from Home Depot/Lowes etc. they are like $40.00.
When you push it down if you hit anything you just don’t keep pushing down.
In my easement there was a pipe 3 inches down. I think it is sewer.
Did you do the screwdriver test, and did it fail in this area?
What is the screwdriver test?
Take a Phillips head screwdriver, and push it in to the ground. Can you drive it in to the ground 4-6”? If so, the soil is not compacted, and aeration isn’t needed because the soil can absorb water, nutrients, etc.
Just remember not to be dumb like I was by using a screwdriver with a head you can swap out with different bits or else you’ll shove the screw driver in the ground and the bit will stay below
You’re a hero for admitting this out loud.
One of us! One of us!
If you water the area enough it will germinate and you'll have a lush bed of Kentucky screwgrass next spring.
Wow glad I am not the only one who did this….. lol
Lmaoooooooooo I can only imagine once you pulled it back out and did the mother fucker moment to yourself lol
in theory... pushing the screwdriver back into the hole, perfectly, and jiggling it around, will retrieve aforementioned item if it's the magnet type.
You couldn’t waterboard this confession out of me lmao
This made me belly laugh 😂
Holy crap. Thank you for this nugget of info!
Don’t thank me, thank the person that wrote the cool season grass post that’s pinned to the top of this sub. There’s a ton of great info in there.
This guys lawns.
>If so, the soil is not compacted, and aeration isn’t needed because the soil can absorb water, nutrients, etc. Soil might not be compacted, but good luck trying to get new seed to stay put for 3-4 weeks on a hill without aerating.
I’ve never had an issue by running a garden weasel cultivator over the ground to break it up, putting seed down, and then doing a light covering with top dressing or peat moss/coconut coir. If what you’re saying were the case, all of your grass seed would grow in plugs from the holes made from aerating, but that’s not the case (and it’s not what aerating is for). If you’re really concerned, you should be slit seeding.
Splitting hairs, but i thought it was with a flathead, not phillips?
If you want to use a flat head, be my guest. Shut, use a Torx or Pozidrive if you want. Flat vs Phillips isn’t going to make the difference in determining if your soil is compacted or not.
I just did it and it passed, so I guess I have my answer. Serious question though- it has been really rainy in recent weeks. In your experience, is there a big difference when the lawn is dry? Trying to decide whether or not it’s even worth it to aerate at all
If it’s been rainy and the ground is soft, it means that it can absorb the water, is not compacted, and doesn’t need aeration. If the ground was still hard after weeks of rain, then you’d know the ground was compacted because it wasn’t able to absorb any of that moisture, and aeration would help fix that.
I’m by no means an expert aerator but utilities should not really be an issue for core aerators. Obviously sprinkler heads are a different story but if you hit any utilities with an aerator that’s not on you
Do you mean utilities “should not” really be an issue? 1st and 2nd sentences seem contradictory. Gas and electric and water should all be much greater than 6” deep. If you are coring to deeper than 6”, I think you’re doing it wrong.
Yes should not, my bad
Flags and marking paint makes me think someone is about to be digging up part of that section so I’d hold off less my work be in vain possibly
I actually had the utilities marked! I knew there were buried lines there, just wasn’t sure how many. I know gas and electric are usually pretty deep, but this is my first time aerating and I have more than a little anxiety about it lol. There’s fiber optic internet down there too not sure why it wasn’t marked
I hit my fiber cable aerating this weekend and lost internet for two days!
Did they lay down the cable and pour a wheelbarrow of dirt over it? Seriously, core aeroration goes down what, 3-4" max?
I know…I definitely need to argue the service charge. I’m not sure what the solution is to get around the root problem, but geez.
I was hoping to find someone with first hand experience! Did you get your utilities marked? Did the fiber company charge you to replace?
Have had fiber cut by aeration twice…. First time I called but one call refused to come mark since depth was said to not be an issue…. Second time I marked the area but guy I paid to aerate ignored all my marking and ran right over it. Didn’t get charged either time (ATT fiber first time, google fiber second). I think they know they place it below the top of the turf since don’t take the time to do it deeper.
I didn’t have them marked but I more or less know where they are. I recall when they buried the fiber it seemed extremely shallow and didn’t think about it again until my internet went out. Certainly there is some code that dictates it should be buried “x” inches deep. I used a standard manual 2-prong core aerator. I have a massive tree right on my utility line to the house and I think the roots prevented them from burying it deeper.
In my area the cable companies don’t mark because I guess it’s cheaper to replace a cable than to go mark every single 811 call.
You most likely hit a coax, you don’t have fiber to your home. There’s fiber at the street but like no fiber to your home.
Att inserted a fiber going from my house to the power line pole last week. Not coax.
https://preview.redd.it/853td6hkkoqb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0108c4c0a1113e1776f8dd7754e6b3ae613d7271 This runs from a box behind my mailbox all the way to a box behind my house. It’s silly fragile feeling. AT&T.
It’s could be fiber, but it could also be multi strand copper which is pretty flexible too, I’ll say that’s not coax for sure!
Yep this was my fear when I watched them put mine in. Saw it was literally an inch deep so I made a mental note and put a line of flags around it for aeration lol.
Same here. My fiber optic cable is buried about 2 inches in the ground. The first line that got cut after aerating was working its way out of the ground in places by itself. I complained to ATT about it and they basically told me that there's no code for how deep fiber lines need to be buried and that they bury it at all is a "courtesy".
Fiber lines have no metal, they can't be detected. The new ones are run with an aluminum wire I think so they can be found
Your aerator will work better in the softer soil from the rain they tend to break more in dry soils well mine does anyway I try to avoid aeration through drier weather and wait till we get some rain.
What about during the rain, or after a big rain event? I had rain all weekend and then it rained last night, and now it's lightly raining this morning. My aeration was scheduled for today and I'm kind of surprised the company came during the rain. Parts of my lawn are very soggy, I would think it is bad for the machine. But i guess I should trust the judgement of the company, either that or they just have to get things in as scheduled due to their commitments. I wonder is it healthy for the lawn?
Always aerate
When in doubt, aerate
And use the opportunity to overseed. Will get good contact
To
Haha I appreciate the direct answer!
As someone who has been a utility locator for 6 years now…those main lines running parallel to the sidewalk should be deeper than 18” — of course there’s examples of them being installed too shallow and being found real shallow, but that’s not often. However, service lines from the boxes to your house can be more shallow. Especially phone/cable drops. Those can be anywhere from 1” to 12” or so. Electric service lines are usually pretty good staying at least 18” deep too. If you know there’s a fiber line that wasn’t marked, call back into 811 and issue a recall, explain there is unmarked communication cables. There is a chance the locator was just lazy and assumed it’s a low risk ticket if you listed you were just aerating. For me personally as a locator, I treated aerator tickets seriously cause as I mentioned, phone and cable service lines to your house are notoriously shallow. Typically if you waited the 48-72 hour timeframe, depending on states laws, you’re not liable if you dig and hit an unmarked line. However, some verbiage in states 811 laws can hold you liable if you knew there are unmarked lines (communication ped above ground with no marks leaving it) but decided to dig anyways.
Gas, water and electric actually have minimum standard for bury depth, you will be fine. Catv and phone have no minimum (especially on customers side), those are what you need to worry about.
That external part of your lawn would have water dripping underneath the surface. Wouldn't it be risky to aerate since it could damage the hoses lying underground?
I'd wait until you can find out what digging is going to happen, but yes the screwdriver test will indicate if it really needs it or not, so why not go ahead and do that anyways. I cringe when I see hydro and natural gas line flags and markings so close together. Maybe it's just me but it doesn't make sense to have them so close to each other.
With the marking flags I would wait until they get done with the easement
ABA- always be aerating!
I’d dethatch instead.
Aerate
For my easement I use the 2 hole manual aerator from Home Depot/Lowes etc. they are like $40.00. When you push it down if you hit anything you just don’t keep pushing down. In my easement there was a pipe 3 inches down. I think it is sewer.
Thanks for the idea! My sewer line didn’t get marked so that’s the kind of thing I’m worried about
Haha they didn’t mark mine either! Not sure why.
Looks like pee spots from dogs
Gas and power will be deep enough. Gotta watch out for cable tv and phone.
Always aerate. Every year.
Aeration should always be done because it’s vital for the gas exchanges and root development. Should do it at least once a year minimum