Should I aerate or overseed?

Aeration will help ensure your soil is ready to absorb all of the nutrients and seeds that come its way with topdressing and overseeding. That's why you should aerate before overseeding.

Do you need to overseed when you aerate?

You may want to rake the soil to remove debris and to loosen and expose soil. 2) If you're going to aerate, you'll want to do this beforehand. Typically, overseeding 48 hours following aerating is a best practice, as this will give the seed the best chance of getting into the soil.

How long should I wait to overseed After aerating?

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.

Can you aerate after you overseed?

Overseeding is a great partner to aeration because you need seed-to-soil contact to germinate lawn seeds, and you've just created the perfect seedbed through aeration.

Should I water after aeration?

Begin watering immediately after the aeration work is complete. Light and frequent watering is preferred for seedlings. Dos Amigos Landscaping recommends watering to the point where at least 1 inch of the top of the turf is wet or light puddling is taking place. Water at least two times per day.

Two KEY STEPS To A GREAT LAWN // Aeration and Dethatching Before Overseeding

Will grass seed grow in aeration holes?

Aeration enhances seed germination.

Seeds germinate easily in aerator holes as the holes provide them a place to hide. Overseeding introduces new grass seed to fill in bare or thin areas as well as thickens existing turf.

When should you not aerate your lawn?

It is best to avoid aerating lawns when they are going into dormancy. So, late summer or early fall are too late for warm-season grasses; it is best to aerate in late spring or early summer. For aerating cool-season grasses, stick to early spring and early fall.

Should I pick up plugs after aerating?

As we've established, don't remove aeration plugs. It takes approximately one to two weeks for the plugs to break down on their own, but there are some things you can do to help the plugs break down faster to tidy up the lawn. You can hope for rainfall, but you can also water the lawn to help the plugs break down.

What is the best fertilizer after aeration?

After Aeration Overseed and Fertilize

For best results, use high-quality seed and fertilize with Milorganite®. Mixing grass seed with Milorganite is an effective way to spread seed accurately.

How do I know if I need to overseed?

Will grass grow if you don't aerate?

Lawn Aeration is Vital

No matter what seed you use, they can't germinate in compacted soil devoid of water, nutrients, and sufficient air exchange. That's why it's crucial to aerate your lawn before starting the overseeding process.

Is overseeding worth it?

THE BENEFITS OF OVERSEEDING

Overseeding newer turfgrass varieties into an older lawn can help it better withstand insects, disease, drought, shady conditions and heavy traffic. The investment in overseeding pays off by reducing the amount of fertilizer, water and pesticides required.

How long do aeration holes last?

While aeration itself can take just a couple of hours, depending on the size of your commercial property, plugs typically break down in about two weeks.

How long does it take to see results from aeration?

Believe it or not, you can actually see core aeration and overseeding results on your commercial property in as little as 7 to 10 days. This is when the soil plugs will break down and the seeds will begin germinating and you'll start to see healthier, thicker grass develop.

Do I overseed or fertilize first?

Stop fertilizing for at least a month before overseeding. The fertilizer makes your grass grow faster, which makes it harder for the new seeds to take hold.

What month is best to overseed?

Hands down, early fall is the best time to overseed your lawn. The absolute sweet spot for most northern regions of the U.S. is August 15 to September 15. That's when daytime temperatures are still warm enough to encourage growth and nights get cooler, giving new seedlings a break from the heat.

Should you fertilize after aerating?

Immediately after aerating, your lawn is exposed to oxygen, and so laying fertilizer during this time is your best bet for growing a healthy, envy-worthy lawn. The best fertilizer to use (and how much) will be dependent on your grass type and lawn size.

Do holes fill in after aeration?

The holes are going to fill up with something, and it will be more thatch and organic matter unless sand can be applied to completely fill the column.

Is dethatching better than aerating?

Aeration helps loosen the soil and helps decompose the excessive thatch layer at a faster rate. Both services accomplish a similar goal, but lawn aeration does so without the possibility of damaging your lawn in the way that dethatching would.

What happens if you don't aerate?

1 Aeration creates holes down into the soil to alleviate compaction so air, water and nutrients can reach grass roots. Deprived of their basic needs by compacted soil, lawn grasses struggle in stressful situations, such as heat and low rainfall, and lose their healthy, rich color.

How can I make my grass greener and thicker?

Should I water lawn before 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.

Does aeration cause weeds?

Bottom line, there is no need to worry about weeds during aeration and seeding. Ideally, we all want a weed-less lawn, but if they do appear during the aeration and seeding season, it is best to just wait them out as it is more important to establish the grass than to kill weeds.

Should you cut grass before aeration and seeding?

Prior to aeration and seeding, a lawn should be mowed at a height of 1.5 to 2 inches. Any clippings left on the lawn after this close cut, should be bagged, blown or raked off the lawn. This is necessary to maximize seed to soil contact as the seed is spread. This is a key factor in successful germination.

What happens if you aerate too much?

Plus, if you aerate your sandy or loamy soil too often, you'll weaken the soil. Clay soils, for example, need aeration every year or every few years depending on how compacted the ground is. Clay soil holds in water, but can't easily circulate oxygen for plant health.