Core aeration is an essential lawn care service that involves removing small "cores" of soil from your lawn to loosen compacted soil and make it easier for nutrients and other resources to reach the roots of your grass. But once the job is done, property owners in the Atlanta, GA area typically ask: "What should we do with these cores all over our yard?" Well, you have a few options available to you! The best option is to leave them alone so they can decompose and return nutrients to your lawn. And if you don’t like the way the cores make your yard look, then you can either break them apart to accelerate the decomposition process, or you can just remove them entirely.

1. Leave the cores on your lawn to recycle nutrients.

Aerated plugs laying about on a lawn in Mableton, GA.

Once the core aeration process is finished, the cores will remain on your lawn until they eventually decompose. Some people don’t know what to do with them, but it is recommended that you just leave them on your lawn to naturally decompose. Each core is jam-packed with nutrients, and as they start to break down, they will recycle nutrients back into your soil. And since your soil has been loosened thanks to the core aeration process, it allows the recycled nutrients to easily reach the roots of your grass, which can help your grass grow and stay strong!

The cores on your lawn act as a natural fertilizer and contain helpful microorganisms in addition to essential nutrients!

2. Use a rake to break the cores apart and accelerate the decomposition process.

Even though it’s recommended to let the cores of soil naturally decompose after the aeration process is done, some people still don’t like letting them sit in their yard. If you don’t want to wait for them to decompose on their own and get absorbed into your lawn, then you can break them apart with a rake. Breaking the cores apart will accelerate the decomposition process while also tidying up your lawn. And if you want to speed up the process even further, you can also water the cores into your soil! Breaking the cores apart, instead of removing them, will still help your grass by recycling the nutrients back into your lawn!

Alternatively, you can use your lawnmower to break the cores down and cut your grass at the same time!

3. You can completely remove the cores, but your lawn won’t benefit from recycled nutrients.

Core plugs removed from lawn after aeration service in Buckhead, GA.

You also have the option to remove the cores from your lawn if you don’t like the way they make your lawn look. The cores of soil will normally remain in your yard for a week or two before they decompose and are absorbed back into your lawn. However, if you just can't stand the way that they look, you can completely remove them from your lawn. This option is not recommended because you want your lawn to be able to absorb the nutrients that the cores contain. Removing the cores of soil from your yard will end up depriving your grass of essential nutrients and microorganisms.

Call us today to schedule our core aeration service!

Keep your lawn in pristine condition with our core aeration service! At Bloom’n Gardens Landscape, we offer our core aeration service in the spring and the fall to loosen up your soil so the roots of your grass can easily access the nutrients it needs to flourish! We service commercial, HOA, and residential properties in the Atlanta, GA area, including nearby areas like Buckhead and Smyrna. Call us today at (404) 314-1474 to schedule our core aeration service and keep your lawn strong and healthy throughout the year!