Soil Restoration is one of the most impactful things you can do for your lawn to improve the quality of the soil.
If you carefully water, mow and fertilize your lawn but it still isn’t looking green and lush poor soil quality may be the factor keeping it from peak health. We can help through a Soil Restoration Program designed specifically for your lawn.
What is soil restoration?
The basics of soil restoration involve aerating the lawn and then spreading a shallow layer of compost over the top. This process adds organic compost to your soil which increases microbial life and nutrients, boosts carbon levels in the soil, and increases its ability to absorb and retain water. It’s a quick and easy way to increase soil health and fertility.
Why is it important?
Your lawn is only as healthy as its soil. Poor quality soil affects water quality, increases the risk of flooding, and leads to poor lawn conditions.
It’s no secret that clay-rich soil and soil that has been compacted over time can have trouble retaining water. There’s simply nowhere for it to go. This type of soil is common in the Des Moines metro, and it causes water pooling in low spots instead of absorbing into the soil, causing additional lawn issues and perpetuating the cycle. This makes it harder for your lawn to stay healthy when rains aren’t plentiful, and kills areas where the water pools. Soil Restoration opens up space in your soil and adds material that helps it to better absorb and retain water, alleviating these issues.
Additionally, the soils ability to absorb and retain water is vital for the surrounding ecosystem. Polluted runoff from fertilizers and pesticides can harm wildlife and local waterways. Soil Restoration can help keep chemicals that are good for your lawn confined to your yard and out of the surrounding ecosystem where they may be harmful.
Where do I start?
Give us a call or contact us. Some cities in the Des Moines area have programs in place to help fund this type of project. They’ll often price match up to 50% or more of your installation costs. The city benefits from reduced flooding, improved water quality, and better-looking lawns.
The strategy behind soil restoration depends on whether your home is a new build or not.
If it is a new build, we start by generously tilling the soil. Heavy construction equipment during the building process of a new home compacts soil and hinders the ability for it to absorb water and ultimately for your lawn to flourish. Generous tilling will help water seep 6-8 inches into the soil, whereas without tilling it may have run off before reaching the grass roots. After tilling we’ll spread a ½ inch layer of compost across the lawn. The additional organic matter and nutrients will increase the soil quality to help your lawn absorb more rain and grow lush grass.
For existing lawns, we will aerate before spreading compost instead of tilling. After completing soil restoration, you should see your grass green up and notice that the pools of water are gone. Your lawn will look much better and retain that health for years to come.
Soil restoration is an all-natural process. There are no fertilizer or chemicals involved, just aeration or tilling and the addition of organic matter. Contact us to find out if your city offers any kind of bonus for restoring soil.