when to aerate lawn

You want to aerate the lawn when your grass is in its peak growing period so it can recover quickly—think early spring or fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring through early summer for warm-season grasses. If you have high-traffic areas or heavy clay soil, you will want to aerate every year.

Is there a bad time to aerate your lawn?

When to Aerate Your Lawn

Aeration is good for lawns, but it can stress grass if timed improperly. Never aerate dormant lawns. For cool-season grasses common in northern lawns, early fall or early spring are the best times for aerating.

How often should you aerate your lawn?

How Frequently Should You Aerate Your Lawn? As for frequency, Friell said aeration should be performed at least once per year on most lawns. Lawns with compacted soil or soil with high clay content may benefit from aeration twice annually.

When Should I aerate my lawn Australia?

The best time to aerate warm season grasses, such as soft-leaf buffalo, couch, kikuyu and zoysia is during spring and summer while they are actively growing. You can aerate at any time of the year, but if you do so in the cooler months just keep in mind the grass won't cover over the aerated holes as it is dormant.

How do I know if my lawn needs aeration?

10 Signs It's Time To Aerate & Seed Your Lawn

It's Fall or Spring. The fall is the perfect season to aerate and seed your lawn. ...
Puddles. Puddles are an indication of compacted soil. ...
Worn Areas. Patches in the yard? ...
Inability to Moisten. ...
Thinning Grass. ...
Discolored Areas. ...
Uniformly Thin and Dull. ...
Yard Stopped Growing.

Should I pick up plugs after aerating?

Lawn care after aeration is important, and luckily, it's relatively straightforward. Leave the soil plugs on the lawn to decompose and filter back into the holes left by the aeration machine. Your lawn mower will often break them up and help work them back into the soil within two to three weeks.

Can you aerate your lawn in November?

Fall aeration should take place mid to late October after temperatures have cooled down. Aerating in the fall preps your grass for the spring. Your lawn will grow greener and thicker the following spring after fall aeration.

Is aerating your lawn worth it?

Is lawn aeration necessary? 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.

Which is better a spike or plug aerator?

Plug aerators are usually more effective at relieving compaction in lawns with a heavy clay soil since the solid tines used on spike aerators compact the clay soil further when they push into the ground. ... Soils that crumble easily are usually high in loam and sand which benefit more from the use of a spike aerator.

Is it better to aerate or dethatch?

So should you dethatch or aerate? Core aerating not only breaks up thatch buildup but also relieves compacted soil. Dethatching mostly loosens the top layer of soil and also removes the layer of debris (dead grass) from the soil. Dethatching can really help when overseeding your lawn.

Can you aerate too much?

How often to aerate? The common advice here is once every one to three years. ... Especially thick types of grass may also call for aerating more frequently. As a general rule, you shouldn't need to aerate more than once a year at any time ("too much of a good thing" applies here, since you don't want to damage your soil).

Can you aerate your lawn with a pitchfork?

You can aerate a lawn with many different tools. The most inexpensive way is with a pitchfork or spading fork. This tool is most useful for aerating smaller areas. Simply punch holes as deep as possible in the turf layer and then rock the fork to enlarge the holes.

Do aerating shoes really work?

Myth No.

While you can buy spiked shoes touted for aerating lawns you won't achieve much aeration using them. Spiked shoes don't work because they impact too small an area and further compact already compacted soil. University studies have shown you can use spiked shoes to kill Grubs.

What fertilizer should I use after aeration?

After Aeration Overseed and Fertilize

Immediately after aeration, your lawn is ripe for overseeding and fertilizing. The holes provide excellent soil exposure for seeds and deliver fertilizer directly to the roots of your grass. For best results, use high-quality seed and fertilize with Milorganite®.

How long after aeration can I seed?

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.

How do you fix a bumpy lawn?

The best way to help prevent lumps and bumps in your lawn is to keep it thick and healthy. Aerate regularly to loosen soil and allow more moisture and oxygen to reach the roots. Overseed to thicken lawns. Fertilize regularly using a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, such as Milorganite, to keep your grass lush and green.

Can you just sprinkle grass seed on lawn?

If you simply toss the grass seed onto the soil, you will end up with poor germination. ... Next, you can use a lawn spreader to put down the grass seed. Very little soil is actually needed to cover the seeds, typically about ¼- inch, so simple raking will do the trick.

Can you overseed without aerating?

To overseed a lawn without aerating, start by mowing it lower than 2 inches and follow it up with raking to remove debris and loosen up the topsoil. Spread the grass seed and then rake over it gently. Fertilize with a starter fertilizer and then water the lawn lightly until the grass grows to a good mowing height.

Should I water after aeration?

How to Water After Aeration and Overseeding and/or Power Seeding. ... Your lawn is going to require less water but more frequently. You need to keep the soil moist but you don't want to water for too long. This generally means watering twice a day but for a short period of time (maybe 15 to 20 minutes).

Is it too late to overseed lawn in November?

The answer to this question is: not necessarily. Through dormant seeding, grass seed can be planted in November when the weather is cold enough to keep it dormant until the weather warms up in the spring. ... Once spring arrives, the seeds will sprout and grow normally.

Is aeration better in spring or fall?

If the soil is so compacted that existing grass can't grow, it may be necessary to aerate in the spring. ... But the very best time to aerate is in the fall when the temperatures have cooled off, when the weed pressure is minimal, and when grass is actively growing.

Should you cut grass 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.) ... This is because the soils must be moist when you aerate to help the machine penetrate the soil.