Hello all,
I've been in my new house for about two years. It is a typical builders lot
with hard pack soil. When it rains, and/or I run the sprinkler system, most
of the water just seems to run off. I am going to plug aerate in the fall,
but I was hoping to do something now. Perhaps spike aerate. I need to get
the water down the to roots of the grass.

Advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Zone 6 rhode island.

"Jack" wrote in message
newsMxGc.22721$mN3.22238@lakeread06...
Hello all,
I've been in my new house for about two years. It is a typical builders
lot
with hard pack soil. When it rains, and/or I run the sprinkler system,
most
of the water just seems to run off. I am going to plug aerate in the
fall,
but I was hoping to do something now. Perhaps spike aerate. I need to
get
the water down the to roots of the grass.


Why not plug aerate now?

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"Jack" wrote in message
newsMxGc.22721$mN3.22238@lakeread06...
Hello all,
I've been in my new house for about two years. It is a typical builders
lot
with hard pack soil. When it rains, and/or I run the sprinkler system,
most
of the water just seems to run off. I am going to plug aerate in the
fall,
but I was hoping to do something now. Perhaps spike aerate. I need to
get
the water down the to roots of the grass.


Why not plug aerate now?



What *is* plug aeration?

"Jack" wrote in message
newsMxGc.22721$mN3.22238@lakeread06...
Hello all,
I've been in my new house for about two years. It is a typical builders
lot
with hard pack soil. When it rains, and/or I run the sprinkler system,
most
of the water just seems to run off. I am going to plug aerate in the
fall,
but I was hoping to do something now. Perhaps spike aerate. I need to
get
the water down the to roots of the grass.

Advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Zone 6 rhode island.



Ah yes...the wonder of new houses. Builders ought to be put in pillories in
a public square and pelted with rotten vegetables, because of what they do
to the soil. Any chance you can get your builder to bring back the topsoil
he stole from you?

Jack wrote:
Hello all,
I've been in my new house for about two years. It is a typical builders lot
with hard pack soil. When it rains, and/or I run the sprinkler system, most
of the water just seems to run off. I am going to plug aerate in the fall,
but I was hoping to do something now. Perhaps spike aerate. I need to get
the water down the to roots of the grass.

Advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Aeration is a first step. But you need to take stronger measures if you
have Subdivision Soil Syndrome. This happens when the developers scrape
off all the topsoil and sell it, leaving the house sitting on often very
nasty clay subsoil. Then they drive their heavy machinery around on it in
wet weather just for good measure to make sure it is properly compacted.

Dig a hole. Do you see any earthworms? If not, you soil is never going
to get any better than it is now. You can encourage earthworms by adding
organic matter to the soil. Topdressing the lawn a couple time a year
with 1/2" of compost is a start. Aerate first, then topdress for maximum
effect.

Improving a truly lousy soil is a long, uphill battle, especially if you
are trying to do it over an established lawn.

For more ways you can test your soil, including testing drainage, go to
Plantfacts: http://plantfacts.osu.edu/web/ and search for -- soil
testing drainage compaction -- and whatever else you're interested in.

Also, check with your local Extension office and see if they have a
Horticulture Educator or turfgrass specialist. Extensions can be a good
source of free advice that will address problems specific to your growing
area.

Cheers!

-- Karen

The Garden Gate http://garden-gate.prairienet.org
================================================== =================
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
^and cats -- Cicero
================================================== =================
On the Web since 1994 Forbes Best of Web 2002

"Karen Fletcher" wrote in message
...

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
^and cats -- Cicero

If you believe this, I'd like to marry you. :-) You'll have to put up with a
certain amount of fishing, though.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"Jack" wrote in message
newsMxGc.22721$mN3.22238@lakeread06...
Hello all,
I've been in my new house for about two years. It is a typical
builders
lot
with hard pack soil. When it rains, and/or I run the sprinkler
system,
most
of the water just seems to run off. I am going to plug aerate in the
fall,
but I was hoping to do something now. Perhaps spike aerate. I need
to
get
the water down the to roots of the grass.


Why not plug aerate now?



What *is* plug aeration?

plug aeration = core aeration

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
.. .

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"Jack" wrote in message
newsMxGc.22721$mN3.22238@lakeread06...
Hello all,
I've been in my new house for about two years. It is a typical
builders
lot
with hard pack soil. When it rains, and/or I run the sprinkler
system,
most
of the water just seems to run off. I am going to plug aerate in
the
fall,
but I was hoping to do something now. Perhaps spike aerate. I
need
to
get
the water down the to roots of the grass.


Why not plug aerate now?



What *is* plug aeration?

plug aeration = core aeration


Inserting something as the hole is made? In my fantasy, it's a plug of peat
moss, but that's probably silly.

In article , "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Don't blame the builders. It is the government regulations that require
soil compaction. It is mandated that the builder compact the soil. The
building inspector must sign off on proper compaction before the
foundation can be started. Blame your elected officials.

Dick

Ah yes...the wonder of new houses. Builders ought to be put in pillories
in
a public square and pelted with rotten vegetables, because of what they
do
to the soil. Any chance you can get your builder to bring back the
topsoil
he stole from you?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

What *is* plug aeration?

plug aeration = core aeration


Inserting something as the hole is made? In my fantasy, it's a plug of
peat
moss, but that's probably silly.

No, nothjing is inserted. Rather, a "core" of soil is removed, acutally
thousands of them. The idea is to open up the soil so air and water can
penetrate easier. If anything *is* inserted, it is usually a topdressing of
sand.

OK, but that doesn't mean they have to remove the topsoil for a hundred feet
around the house, which is often the case.

"Richard Cline" wrote in message
...
In article , "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Don't blame the builders. It is the government regulations that require
soil compaction. It is mandated that the builder compact the soil. The
building inspector must sign off on proper compaction before the
foundation can be started. Blame your elected officials.

Dick

Ah yes...the wonder of new houses. Builders ought to be put in pillories
in
a public square and pelted with rotten vegetables, because of what they
do
to the soil. Any chance you can get your builder to bring back the
topsoil
he stole from you?

I was lead to believe that doing a plug aerate now during the summer was a
bad thing. I did alot of reading on the web etc, and most recommended
waiting until the fall. If I do it now, would I run into problems ??

This is the first time I have done this, so I am unsure of what is involved
(other than renting the plug aerator)


"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"Jack" wrote in message
newsMxGc.22721$mN3.22238@lakeread06...
Hello all,
I've been in my new house for about two years. It is a typical builders
lot
with hard pack soil. When it rains, and/or I run the sprinkler system,
most
of the water just seems to run off. I am going to plug aerate in the
fall,
but I was hoping to do something now. Perhaps spike aerate. I need to
get
the water down the to roots of the grass.


Why not plug aerate now?

"Jack" wrote in message
news:CAAGc.22734$mN3.3530@lakeread06...
I was lead to believe that doing a plug aerate now during the summer was a
bad thing. I did alot of reading on the web etc, and most recommended
waiting until the fall. If I do it now, would I run into problems ??

This is the first time I have done this, so I am unsure of what is
involved
(other than renting the plug aerator)


I can't think of any reason it would cause problems. I have done it in both
the spring and the fall. We are only a couple weeks into summer. I'm
curious, what did your research give as reasons not to core aerate now?

"Jack" wrote in message
news:CAAGc.22734$mN3.3530@lakeread06...

I was lead to believe that doing a plug aerate now during the
summer was a
bad thing. I did alot of reading on the web etc, and most
recommended
waiting until the fall. If I do it now, would I run into problems
??

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
.. .

I can't think of any reason it would cause problems. I have done it
in both
the spring and the fall. We are only a couple weeks into summer.
I'm
curious, what did your research give as reasons not to core aerate
now?

I guess that is due to plug aerate will break quite some grass root
and rhizome. It's good to do anything that will cause physical
damage(pruning, dividing...) to plant during the dormant period(late
fall to early spring).

Regards,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

"nswong" wrote in message
...
"Jack" wrote in message
news:CAAGc.22734$mN3.3530@lakeread06...

I was lead to believe that doing a plug aerate now during the
summer was a
bad thing. I did alot of reading on the web etc, and most
recommended
waiting until the fall. If I do it now, would I run into problems
??

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
.. .

I can't think of any reason it would cause problems. I have done it
in both
the spring and the fall. We are only a couple weeks into summer.
I'm
curious, what did your research give as reasons not to core aerate
now?

I guess that is due to plug aerate will break quite some grass root
and rhizome. It's good to do anything that will cause physical
damage(pruning, dividing...) to plant during the dormant period(late
fall to early spring).

Some would say that the best time to annoy the grass is right now, when it's
growing like crazy, but not during the hottest part of summer when the plant
is stressed.