Aeration - Highland Park Lawn (2024)

FAQs

What is the best month to aerate my 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.

Aeration Helps Keep Lawns Properly Watered

Aerating your lawn will help with both of these problems. The aerator will create regularly spaced, open channels into your lawn's soil. These open shafts will let excess water evaporate from saturated soil and let irrigation water soak into dry soil.

You can over-aerate. Over-aerating your lawn can stress out your lawn and leave you with uneven soil. Even though it can be damaging to over aerate your lawn, it is actually quite difficult to aerate too much. It is recommended to have your lawn aerated once or twice a year.

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.

The frequency of aeration depends on various factors, such as the type of soil, amount of foot traffic, and type of grass. However, in general, it is recommended to aerate your lawn once a year or every other year.

The cost is affected by factors such as the lawn size, type of aeration, soil condition, lawn accessibility and additional services like fertilizing or mowing. Lawn aeration is essential for addressing soil issues like compaction, thatch buildup and poor drainage to maintain a vibrant and healthy lawn.

Cool-season grass is weak when coming out of winter dormancy, so spring would not be an ideal time to aerate. The summer heat is the most stressful point of the year for these grasses, so you will not want to aerate and add even more stress during that time.

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.

As we talked about earlier, aeration is an essential part of leveling a bumpy lawn. Over time, weather, wildlife and regular wear-and-tear can cause the soil to become compact, preventing your lawn from getting the nutrients it needs. To reverse this, aerate!

Aerating at the wrong time or in the wrong way can actually put more stress on your yard. Not only does this worsen soil compaction, but it could lead to your lawn looking and feeling even worse than before all your DIY aeration efforts.

How long does it take for a lawn to recover from aeration? ›

It is recommended to wait about 2-4 weeks to mow your lawn after aerating and overseeding. When you do mow it, it is important to mow your lawn at the correct height, depending on the type of grass you have. Generally, you should mow your lawn to a height of 2 to 3 inches after aeration.

Higher operating cost and maintenance cost. Sometimes create odor and nuisance problem in the surrounding environment. In low-temperature stripping of oxygen is reduced.

Don't walk too much on lawns after aeration to allow new grass to grow if you seed during aerating.

Not only does aerating your lawn allow more nutrients, water, and sunlight to pass through, it also stimulates the development of your grass roots. This, in turn, helps your grass grow thicker, stronger, and stay green longer during a dry spell.

In addition, it's best to wait a full day (sometimes even 2 full days) after extensive rain to aerate, giving the moisture a chance to drain away. Soil that is too moist (or too dry) is difficult to aerate and there's a chance your lawn will be damaged in the process.

If you have a warm-season grass, you should aerate now (early spring) as temperatures start to rise. If you have cool-season grass, fall is going to be the best time to aerate and seed your lawn. Aeration is necessary for the growth and health of your lawn.

If the soil is wet, you won't want to aerate it, as it can get quite muddy. However, you also want to make sure the soil isn't too dry either. It is typically suggested that you water a dry lawn between two days before and the evening before you aerate to ensure that the soil isn't rock hard.

Seeding in Late Summer/Early Autumn is the best time of year to plant grass seed for a lush and healthy lawn. Milder temperatures and less competition from other plants during this time make it easier for grass seeds to take root. This makes it easier for new turf growth to establish itself quickly.