What Core Sweeping Is

Core aeration pulls thousands of small soil plugs out of the lawn and leaves them lying on the surface. On a healthy lawn those plugs break down over two or three weeks of mowing and rain. Some customers would rather not wait, and some jobs cannot: athletic fields, HOA common areas, commercial frontage, and any lawn that is about to be top dressed the same day. Core sweeping is the collection and removal of those plugs right after aeration, so the lawn is clean, the holes are open, and the next step can happen immediately.

The Benefits

• A clean finish. No soil crumbs on the lawn, the walks or the driveway, and nothing for shoes and pets to track inside.
• Open holes for top dressing. With the plugs gone, compost or sand drops straight into the aeration holes instead of mixing with loose cores on the surface.
• Less thatch returned to the lawn. The plugs carry thatch and old root material. Removing them takes that layer off the lawn instead of letting it settle back in.
• Ready for play or use. Fields and high-traffic areas can be used as soon as the job is done.

When to Choose It

Core sweeping is an add-on to core aeration. We recommend it when the lawn is being top dressed with COMAND or leveled with sand on the same visit, when appearance matters right away, or when the plugs would end up on hard surfaces. On a typical residential lawn where the plugs can be left to break down naturally, it is optional and we will say so.