When is the best time to aerate your lawn?
When is the best time to aerate your lawn?
When to aerate a lawn
The best time to aerate your lawn depends on your location and grass type:
For northern regions or cool-season grasses, early spring or early fall are the best times of year for lawn aeration. The moderate temperatures and adequate moisture during these seasons help grass recover quickly and fill in any gaps.
For warm-season grasses, late spring or early summer is the best time to aerate your lawn as these grasses are entering their peak growth period. Aerating when the grass is in an active growth phase helps the lawn recover and fill patchy areas more quickly.
| Early spring or early fall | Late spring or early summer |
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What is lawn aeration?
Aeration is a vital lawn care practice that involves creating small holes in the soil by removing plugs of soil and thatch. This process helps relieve soil compaction and allows air, water, and nutrients to reach grass roots more easily, resulting in a healthy green lawn.
The benefits of lawn aeration include:
Improved root development and stronger grass
Better water absorption and reduced runoff
Enhanced nutrient uptake from fertilizers
Reduced soil compaction
Decreased thatch buildup
More resilient lawn during drought conditions
Better tolerance to heat and other environmental stresses
How often should you aerate your lawn?
Aerate your lawn once a year if the soil is compacted. Lawns that experience high foot traffic, show signs of damage, or have heavy clay soil may require aeration twice a year. However, for average residential lawns, aerating once per year is typically sufficient.
Aerating a lawn too often may damage the grass and interfere with growth.
Signs your lawn needs aeration
Watch for these signs your lawn requires aeration:
Thinning or bare patches: Areas where people frequently walk, such as paths to the front door or around play equipment, often become compacted first. When grass struggles to grow in these spots despite adequate water and sunlight, compaction is likely the culprit.
Water puddles after rain or irrigation: If you notice water pooling on your lawn rather than being absorbed, this indicates compacted soil preventing proper drainage. These puddles can lead to root rot and create favorable conditions for fungal diseases.
Difficulty pushing a screwdriver into the soil: Try inserting a screwdriver about 6 inches into your lawn soil. If you meet strong resistance, the soil is too compacted and needs aeration. Healthy soil should allow the screwdriver to penetrate relatively easily.
Yellowing or browning grass despite proper care: When grass shows signs of stress even with regular watering and fertilization, compacted soil may be preventing nutrients and water from reaching the roots. This is especially common in clay soil or areas with heavy rainfall.
Spongy feel when walking on the lawn: If your lawn feels springy or spongy when you walk on it, there may be an excessive thatch layer between the grass and soil. This bouncy sensation indicates the thatch needs to be broken up through aeration.
Heavy thatch layer (more than 1 inch thick): Measure your thatch layer by cutting out a small wedge of grass and soil. If the brown, fibrous layer between the grass blades and soil is thicker than 1 inch, aeration will help break down this barrier and improve soil health.
Before overseeding: Aeration exposes the soil, ensuring the soil absorbs the nutrients and making it easier for new grass seeds to establish deep roots.
How to aerate your lawn
Follow these steps to prep and aerate your lawn:
Blow leaves and remove debris from the yard.
Mow the lawn to a height of 1.5 to 2 inches the day before aerating.
Water the lawn the day before aerating.
Flag all sprinkler heads and buried irrigation lines or underground cables.
Aerate in an East/West direction, then make another pass in a North/South direction. Go over severely compacted areas several times.
Leave the soil plugs on the lawn after aerating.
Water the lawn after aerating. Optionally, overseed and fertilize the lawn before watering.
To ensure you get the best possible results and end up with a lush, green lawn, consider hiring a lawn care service for aeration. Professional lawn aeration costs $7 to $25 per 1,000 square feet on average, depending on the location and lawn size. Rates for large multi-acre properties are lower at $130 to $250 per acre.
Professional lawn aeration usually costs less when packaged with other lawn services or as part of an annual lawn service plan that includes mowing, fertilizing, and other maintenance.
Types of lawn aerators
There are three types of lawn aerators, each available in manual and powered versions. Manual lawn aerators require pushing or towing across the lawn, while powered aerators are self-propelled, similar to a lawnmower.
Core aerators remove small plugs of soil and thatch from the lawn. This is the most effective method and is what professional lawn services use.
Spike aerators create holes in the lawn by pushing thin metal tines into the soil.
Slicing aerators cut through thatch into soil with rotating blades.
Renting a lawn aerator for one day costs $70 to $110 plus a refundable deposit. If you don't own a truck, renting a utility trailer to haul the aerator yourself adds $15 to $25 per day. Many rental companies offer delivery and pickup for $100 to $300.
Aerate your lawn the day after watering or rainfall, but not immediately after a heavy rain. Extremely dry soil is tough to irrigate, and the soil should be moist but not overly soaked.
What to do after lawn aeration
Experts recommend fertilizing and watering the lawn within 48 hours after aerating. For the best results, overseed and fertilize immediately after aeration. The new holes give the seeds, water, and fertilizer a better chance to penetrate the soil.
Wait 1 to 3 weeks after aerating or until the grass has grown at least 3 inches before mowing the lawn. This allows the soil plugs to decompose and new grass growth to establish itself well enough to resist damage from the lawnmower.
Getting quotes from lawn aeration companies
Follow these tips to ensure you hire the best lawn aeration service near you for the job:
Get at least three written quotes for comparison.
Check reviews on HomeGuide and Google and ask for references.
Ask lawn care pros if they offer discounts for bundling aeration with other lawn services.
Choose a lawn care company that is licensed and insured.
Avoid selecting the lowest quote, as it may indicate lower quality.
Questions to ask lawn service professionals
When evaluating lawn care companies to get your lawn aerated, ask these important questions:
How long have you been providing aeration services?
Do you provide free consultations?
Are you licensed and insured?
What type of aerator do you use?
Will you flag my sprinkler heads before aerating the lawn?
What is your policy if it rains on the scheduled day?
What additional services do you recommend for my lawn?
What is your satisfaction guarantee?
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