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Lawn Aeration

What Is Aeration?

Technically speaking, aeration is the naturally occurring process of air exchange between the soil and its surrounding atmosphere. Practically speaking, aeration is the process of mechanically removing small plugs of thatch and soil from the lawn to improve natural soil aeration. It’s commonly called “core aeration” in the lawn service industry, and you may have heard of it as soil cultivation (coring, spiking and slicing). Most homeowners simply call it aeration.
Mantis Tiller Lawn Aerator Attachment

Aeration Benefits

Aeration can help make your lawn healthier and reduce its maintenance requirements through these means:

  • Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere.
  • Enhanced soil water uptake.
  • Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
  • Reduced water runoff and puddling.
  • Stronger turfgrass roots.
  • Reduced soil compaction.
  • Enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.
  • Improved resiliency and cushioning.
  • Enhanced thatch breakdown.

Puddles on lawn

Aeration Equipment Affects the Outcome…

The type of aeration equipment can determine how effective the treatment will be. In general, turf responds best when core holes are close and deep. Equipment with hollow tines removes soil cores. Equipment with open tines divots the soil surface. Aeration equipment also varies in tine size up to 3/4 inch diameter and in depth of penetration up to 4 inches, depending on the manufacturer’s specifications.

How Often Should You Aerate a Lawn?

Most lawns benefit from annual aeration. Heavily used lawns, or those growing on heavy clay or subsoils may need more than one aeration each year. Again, turf responds best when tine spacing is closer and penetration is deeper.

When is the Best Time to Aerate Lawns?


If you have cool season turfgrass such as Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, both spring and fall are ideal times to aerate. In spring, aerate between March and May. Perform fall aeration between August and November. Aeration before or at the time of late season fertilization enhances root growth and improves spring green-up and growth. Warm season turfgrasses such as zoysia grass and Bermuda grass should be aerated in mid-spring to summer. Avoid aerating when warm season grasses are dormant it may encourage weed competition. In addition, avoid aerating warm season grasses during spring greenup, and not until after their first spring mowing.

Get the Aerator Attachment for your Mantis Tiller.

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Border Edger Attachment
Border Edger Attachment cuts neat edges around areas where the walkways and beds meet the lawn. $49.95 value. FREE when you purchase a Mantis Tiller now! Ships FREE with Tiller.
(Border Edger offer not applicable to tiller models 3550, 3558, XP, 7234-12-43, 7250-00-03, SU or reconditioned models.)

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Free standard shipping on tiller order shipped to US 48 states.
Free shipping does not apply to reconditioned tiller models.

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GIFT40: Add the Mantis 58V Cordless Tiller/Cultivator 3558 to your cart.
Enter code GIFT40 and we'll take an additional $40 off the price.
Hurry. Offer expires 12/31/18!

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California Prop 65 Information

www.p65warnings.ca.gov

This warning pertains to the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 commonly referred to as Proposition 65 which requires warnings about chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more than thirty years this law has required businesses selling products in the State of California that may expose persons to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm to provide special warnings. The Proposition 65 regulations have recently changed and effective August 30, 2018, new requirements apply to the content and location of certain Proposition 65 warnings. In response to these changes, Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. is providing the warning you see on the product web page you viewed prior to linking to this explanation. The company has the same warning on the product associated with that product web page. The regulatory agency in the State of California responsible for Proposition 65 has made additional information about Proposition 65 available on its web page: https://oehha.ca.gov/propostion-65.

The company is also party to a 1995 consent decree entered into together with many other manufacturers of covered products (as defined in the consent decree) and for those products the company has, in addition to the warning referred to above, also included the Proposition 65 warning mandated by the consent decree in the owner’s/operator’s manual for the covered product.

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Please visit our Find a Retailer page where you can locate Mantis retail partners who may be able to take your order.

Wishing you the best this gardening season,
The Schiller Grounds Care Team

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Free Shipping
Buy direct from Mantis and get FREE standard shipping on Mantis Tillers shipped to the US 48 states.

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Free Border Edger Attachment ($49.95 value)
Border Edger Attachment cuts neat edges around areas where the walkways and beds meet the lawn.
FREE with purchase of Mantis Tiller 7920, 7924 or 7940 models. Border Edger ships FREE with eligible tiller purchase.
(Border Edger offer not applicable to 3550, 3558 or XP models)

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