Is aerating your lawn worth it?

Almost all lawns will benefit from aeration, and a great lawn demands it. That said, most lawns do not need it. Lawns suffering from heavy foot traffic, excessive thatch (>1 inch thick) or grown on heavy soils will benefit most.

Why you shouldn't aerate your lawn?

While aerating does relieve soil compaction – enabling roots to more easily obtain fertilizer, water, and air – it could also cause it to dry out quicker. A stressed lawn is more prone to being invaded by aggressive weeds, such as crabgrass, and damaged by summer drought.

How often should you aerate your lawn?

If you have high-traffic areas or heavy clay soil, you will want to aerate every year. If you have sandy soil or your lawn is growing well, aerating the lawn can happen every 2-3 years.

Does aerating actually work?

Aerating your lawn promotes the decomposition of organic matter, helping to fertilize the grass. Aeration also encourages deeper and stronger roots, making your lawn more resistant to heat, drought, and insects. Using a lawn aerator can help your grass grow thicker, greener, and more robust.

Is aerating good for your lawn?

Aeration Promotes Healthy Grass

Aerating your lawn allows vital nutrients, water, sunlight and oxygen to sink in and reach the root system of your lawn. This will promote a healthy and deep root system, giving you a lush green lawn that is better equipped to defend against the intrusion of unwanted weeds and grasses.

Aerating Your Lawn - Why, When and How

Should I pick up plugs after aerating?

– The Short Answer. The consensus is that no, you should not pick up plugs or cores after aerating. In a few days, these little pieces of your lawn should break down and become unnoticeable. This process is aided by watering your lawn deeply after aerating or waiting to aerate before it rains.

What should I put on my lawn after aerating?

Apply fertilizer immediately after aerating your lawn to put nutrients into your grass roots. This allows the grass to better prepare for summer heat. Growing a thick, healthy lawn is useful in preventing weeds as well.

Is it better to dethatch or aerate?

It is best to dethatch first before aerating your lawn.

Aerating is best done when there's the problem of compaction. Both dethatching and aerating your lawn will improve air, nutrient, and water penetration into the root zone of your grass. Thatch is the main problem these two processes address.

Should I seed after aeration?

Within 48 hours after you aerate you should over seed, fertilize, and water your lawn. The seed, fertilizer, and water will have the best chance to get down into the holes made by the aerator if applied soon after aeration.

Should I mow lawn before aerating?

Before you aerate, mow your lawn low (Timberline lawn experts recommend setting your mower to about 1.5-2 inches above the ground to maximize the effectiveness of aerating, being sure to not scalp the crown of the grass.) You will want to water one to three days before aerating.

What is the best month to aerate my lawn?

Aeration can take place at any time of the year, but the best time is usually in the spring/early summer or fall. The general recommendation is to core aerate when there is the most root growth.

Is dethatching good for your lawn?

Done properly, dethatching helps restore your lawn to health and keep it beautiful in years to come. By learning why, when and how to dethatch, you can keep your thick, lush grass on track. These lawn dethatching basics can help understand: What is Thatch?

Should I overseed every year?

Make it an annual practice.

"Annual overseeding is recommended to thicken lawns and make them more attractive, but also to introduce improved varieties of grass that are hardier, less prone to insects and diseases, and more drought tolerant," explains Mayer.

How do I fix my bumpy lawn?

Topdressing with quality topsoil or compost could be your best solution for minor problems. Cut the lawn or affected area very short before topdressing. It'll be easier to see the area and level the topsoil. Apply no more than ½” at a time and gently level it without completely covering the grass.

Is it too late to aerate my lawn?

For warm-season grasses it is too late to aerate once the growing season has passed in late summer into early fall. For cool-season grasses, late fall into early winter is too late to aerate.

Does sandy soil need to be aerated?

Aerating sandy soil is beneficial for the overall health of the soil as well as the grass and plants that live there. While sandy soil doesn't need to be aerated as frequently as other soil types, it can benefit from aeration once a year or every other year.

How long should I wait to mow after aeration?

They'll need to acclimate and set roots before the first mow, so during the first two to four weeks post aerating and overseeding, don't mow.

Is rain good after aeration?

A freshly aerated lawn can accommodate rainfall for several days without any problems. Heavier rains could fill up the aeration holes in a couple of days, but the grass roots' rate of absorption can easily counteract this. Excessively heavy rains and floods, on the other hand, are not ideal for an aerated lawn.

Should I fertilize before aerating?

Should I fertilize or aerate first? In most cases, aerating is best before laying fertilizer as it allows for more oxygen and deeper growth of grass roots. If you have compact soil or clay soil, it is especially crucial to aerate before so that the fertilizer reaches deeper roots.

Should I power rake or aerate my lawn?

Power raking and aerating are not substitutes for each other though lawns do experience some common benefits. Power raking removes excess organic debris from the lawn. Aerating is meant to reduce soil compaction and improve grass root development.

Should I aerate or scarify?

When considering both aerating and scarifying, it's better to scarify first, then aerate- but leave a few days in between the two exercises to allow your lawn to recover before you put it through all that work again.

Why do they poke holes in grass?

It's important to aerate – essentially, poke holes in – your lawn at least once a year. Aeration loosens up the soil, improves drainage and air flow around the plants, and it promotes root depth and root growth. We bet you'll see thicker grass growth and healthier color in your lawn just a week or two after you aerate.

Can you aerate too much?

You can over aerate a lawn if you do it too frequently. Generally, you only need to aerate your lawn once per year, so this should not be seasonal. If your lawn is growing well or has thin, sandy soil, you can wait as long as every two to three years between aerating.

How do I prepare my lawn for aeration?

Ideally, you should water the lawn at least a day or two before aeration; you should add at least one inch of water to the soil to make it easier for the aerator to penetrate the soil and pull out the cores. Do not try to aerate a muddy or especially wet area though, as that will just clog the machine.

Is it better to aerate before or after seeding?

As with most larger lawn projects, such as planting grass seed, it's best to aerate during or right before the time your grasses reach their peak time for natural growth. Aeration is good for lawns, but it can stress grass if timed improperly.