We're talking about aeration for lawns, and this means that good soil needs good drainage, grass needs oxygen to grow well, and if the soil is compacted and hard, it can stifle growth. Soil like this doesn’t allow water or nutrients to get in that would normally reach the roots.The video below shows how easy it is to give your lawn space to breathe to help it grow if it's struggling!

You can help soil ‘breathe’ by aerating it. This means creating air pockets in the soil. A good time to do this is during the growing season, as grass can recover and benefit from the aeration. Spring and autumn are good times.

Aeration for lawns tips mentioned in this video:

Aerating a small lawn

With a small area, you can do it the most basic way with a garden fork by pushing down at least 3cm into the soil. Wiggle the fork a little to create a wider hole. The solid prongs create gaps in the ground, allowing air, water and nutrients in. There are also hand tools to do this, which are better as they remove little plugs of soil.

Aerating a large lawn

For large areas and heavily compacted soil, the best option is to hire a corer machine that will remove plugs of soil, usually 2 or 3 inches. This can seem like a big job, but it is essential as it helps drainage and prevents other problems. Work your way up and down the garden, and you will see the little plugs of soil. These cores can be broken down and raked back into the surface to benefit the grass.

Want to know more? Check out the rest of our Great Lawns Made Simple series.

• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to create a new lawn
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to sow grass seed
• Great Lawns Made Simple: Types of soil in your garden
• Great Lawns Made Simple: Prepare your soil for sowing grass seed
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How and when to cut grass
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to feed your grass
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to remove moss from your lawn
• Great Lawns Made Simple: Types of soil in your garden
• Great Lawns Made Simple: How to repair your lawn