As winter ends and spring finally starts, many property owners will have their lawn’s core aerated. Core aeration is the mechanical process of repeatedly penetrating the lawn/soil with a machine that removes a great many soil cores (1/2″ diameter x 2″-4″ deep) to further improve air, water and nutrient flow to the lawn’s root system. Core aeration is great for relieving soil compaction and improving grass seed germination rates (when overseeding 
– pre or post aeration). Even though core aeration is quite beneficial for your lawn’s health, the mechanical process itself can be very detrimental to any/all shallow (< 6″) unmarked underground utilities that are not avoided.
Here are a few of the most common underground “non-exposed” utilities that must be marked, flagged and/or mapped before core aerating your lawn.
- Sprinkler heads that have been overgrown by grass
- Shallow buried internet/tv cable lines
- Shallow buried “invisible” pet fencing systems
- Shallow buried electrical power lines (non-conduit encased in particular) feeding post lights, pond pumps, etc.
- Shallow buried landscape drainage or downspout extension lines
- Grass covered landscape drain outlets, grates, pop-up emitters, etc.
- Lawn covered access covers for underground flood control systems
- Shallow buried low voltage wiring (landscape lighting, holiday decorations, irrigation system sensors, etc.)
Please remember, if the operator controlling 
the core aerator cannot see an obstacle across the lawn or has not been informed of it’s shallow underground existence, there is a very good chance that the steel tines below the core aerator will contact, break or severe the hidden buried object.
Please be sure to contact Pacocha landscaping Services, Inc. to learn more about the process of core aerification and it’s many benefits. Thank you for your interest!
