Understanding Soil Health: The Foundation of a Beautiful Lawn
Having healthy, balanced soil is a vital part of having a healthy lawn. In order for you to grow a carpet of dark, green grass, the soil underneath must be loose and porous with a balanced pH.
This lays the foundation for grass seedlings to grow strong roots that transport air, water, and nutrients to flow through to the soil.
If you want to grow a beautiful lawn from scratch or want to improve the health of an existing lawn, getting acquainted with your soil is the best way to start! Read on for more information about the components of soil health, how it affects the appearance of your lawn, and how to test for compaction and assess your soil’s pH levels.
Components of Soil Health
Healthy soil consists of several elements that work together to support grass plant growth. Understanding these components can help you make informed decisions about lawn care:

Composition
Soil is made up of a mixture of sand, silt, and clay. The balance of these elements determines how well your soil drains and retains water. Ideally, a well-balanced soil (loam) provides good drainage while holding enough moisture for plants to absorb.
Soil pH
The pH level of your soil affects its nutrient availability. Soils that are either too alkaline or too acidic can make it difficult for plants to absorb nutrients, leading to poor growth.
Microbial Life
Bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms break down organic material, recycle nutrients, and help protect your lawn from disease. Without these beneficial microbes, your soil would not be able to absorb nutrients and more prone to pests.
How Healthy Soil Translates to a Healthy Lawn
Healthy soil life ensures your lawn lasts throughout each season. When soil is rich in organic matter and has good structure, grass roots can grow deep and strong, allowing them to access nutrients and water more effectively. This results in a lawn that is:
- More Resilient
Deep-rooted grass can withstand periods of drought, heat, and foot traffic better and longer than shallow-rooted grass.
- Less Prone to Weeds
Healthy soil promotes thick, dense grass, which crowds out weeds and makes it difficult for them to establish.
- Naturally Dark Green
Nutrient-rich soil provides everything your lawn needs to stay green and healthy throughout the growing season.
How to Test Your Soil
Soil pH
Healthy lawns typically have a soil pH that is slightly acidic to neutral (between 6.2 to 7.0).
You can test your soil’s pH by either sending a comprehensive soil sample to your local county extension office, who will send the sample to a testing lab (usually for a small fee) or by using Jonathan Green Soil pH Test Kit for Lawns.
Soil Compaction
Soil compaction can be caused by heavy traffic on the lawn, including pets, lawnmowers, or cars. The amount of pressure from prolonged heavy traffic on your lawn causes the soil to become dense leading to significant signs of compaction, including but not limited to: an increased amount of weeds, thinning or yellowing grass, water puddling in low areas of your lawn or water runoff in high areas of your lawn.
You can test for compaction by performing a simple screwdriver test:

- Push a screwdriver into the soil in your lawn
- If you are unable to push the screwdriver up to six inches deep into the soil without difficulty (up to the handle) your soil is compacted
Improve Soil Health
If you find your soil may not be in the best shape following soil tests, don’t fret! Making improvements such as aeration and adding soil amendments can improve the composition of your soil and ensure the long-term health of your lawn.
Aeration
Over time, soil can become compacted due to foot traffic, heavy equipment, or natural settling. Compacted soil prevents water, air, and nutrients from reaching the grass roots. Aeration is the process of creating small holes in the soil to alleviate compaction and improve root penetration. By aerating your lawn, you allow grass roots to access the essential elements they need to grow deeper and stronger.
The best time to aerate is during your lawn’s active growing season, typically in the fall for cool-season grasses. Aeration should be done at least once a year or more frequently if your soil is heavily compacted.
Add Soil Amendments
Applying natural soil amendments to your lawn can help support healthy microbes, balance pH, and improve its overall health. Using a natural soil food, such as Love Your Soil, can also save you the time, instensive labor and money spent on heavy core aerator machines. It contains a naturally occurring loosening agent gypsum to loosen compacted soils and allow water, air and nutrients to flow freely to and from the soil
How to Maintain a Healthy Soil
Maintaining soil health is an ongoing process that requires consistent care. Here are a few key practices to keep your soil healthy over time:
Regular Soil Testing
Test your soil every season to monitor pH levels, nutrient content, and organic matter. Adjust your lawn care routine as needed based on the results.
Proper Watering
Water deeply and infrequently to encourage deeper root growth. Overwatering can lead to shallow roots and poor soil structure, while underwatering stresses the grass and weakens its resistance to disease.
Avoid Over-Fertilizing
While fertilizing is important, too much fertilizer can burn grass roots and lead to soil imbalances. Follow the recommended application rates and consider using slow-release or organic fertilizers, such as Veri-Green Nitrogen-Rich Lawn Fertilizer or Organic Lawn Food for a more controlled nutrient supply.
Mulch Grass Clippings
Instead of bagging your grass clippings, leave them on the lawn as a natural mulch. This practice helps return nutrients to the soil and reduces the need for additional fertilizer.
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The Big Takeaway
The bottom line is this – soil health is lawn health. By focusing on the health, composition and overall quality of your soil, you’re creating the ideal conditions for your grass to grow strong, green, and healthy. Whether through regular aeration, adding soil amendments, or maintaining good watering and fertilizing habits, making seemingly small changes to improve and maintain soil health will yield long-term benefits for your lawn.
Invest in your soil, and your lawn will reward you with beauty, resilience, and ease of maintenance year after year.