Solid vs Hollow Tine Aeration. Which Is Best for Your Lawn?

Aeration is an important step in your fall lawn care. Core aeration is the mechanical process of removing soil and thatch plugs, allowing beneficial air, water, and nutrients to reach the root zone. There are multiple methods for aerating your soil, and today we are going to take a look at solid and hollow tine aeration.

Solid Tine Aeration

A solid-pronged fork simply creates little holes in the soil to help improve air flow and rain percolation throughout your landscape. The metal spikes punch and wiggle into the surface of the lawn and are generally around 6″ — going plenty deep to reach roots.  To use it, go over your lawn carefully with the fork and move to the next spot approximately every 4″.

When to Use Solid Tines

Solid-tine forks are best for lawns with minimal soil compaction. It can also be used during the summer to help water get through the very dry soil. This type of aeration is a temporary fix, as the holes will naturally squeeze back together in a couple of days, which is okay for lawns that don’t need much help.

We do not recommend this method for lawns that are rich in clay, as it may cause more compaction and do more harm than good.

Hollow Tine Aeration

Hollow tines are metal tubes that go directly into the surface of your lawn, extracting a plug of turf and soil. This method can be used with a manual fork or a walk-behind mechanical aerator (that we strongly recommend for larger areas of lawn). As you may have guessed, those plugs need to go somewhere, so then end up all over your lawn.

When to Use Hollow Tines

Hollow-tine aeration is a good choice for any lawn, especially those that are suffering from heavier compaction. Unlike solid tines, this type of aeration creates a longer-lasting effect, and the holes stay open for weeks after the treatment, giving your lawn plenty of time to receive the benefits.

Call Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape for Aeration Help.

We know the right aeration tactics for your lawn. In addition to core aeration, we offer liquid aeration, which addresses the limitations of other methods. Call us today at 765-771-9998 to schedule a service.