Water-wise tip: Aerate your lawn

If you still have turf, you can save water – and help your lawn survive – by punching lots of little holes in the ground. This is called aeration. It’s the secret to lush-looking lawn (even in drought) as well as healthy soil.

Aerating compacted soil lets water trickle down to roots instead of running off. Your grass will grow stronger roots and need less weekly irrigation. As its name suggests, aeration also helps create air holes in hard ground; that benefits microorganisms as well as plants. Remember: Healthier soil makes for healthier plants, too.

You can aerate your lawn with do-it-yourself aerating sandals, available at nurseries and home centers. Slip the sandals over sneakers or boots; the bottoms are studded with metal spikes that make this job relatively easy. Besides helping your lawn, you’ll also get some exercise.

Debbie Arrington

This story was originally published September 4, 2015 at 6:59 AM.