When To Aerate Your Lawn

Just like you wouldn’t mow a lawn that’s soaking wet or apply a winterizer fertilizer in June, aeration also requires specific timing. The time of year you tackle aeration and how often you aerate depends on grass and soil type.

Know Your Turf

Lawn grasses fall into two different categories: warm-season and cool-season. Warm-season grasses begin their period of active growth in summer. If you aerate a warm-season lawn in late spring to early summer, the ensuing period of rapid growth will quickly fill in the holes you create.

Cool-season turf emerges from summer dormancy in early fall and grows vigorously during the lower temperatures and reduced weed competition typical of fall. Strong growth helps the lawn quickly recover from the stress of aeration. The caveat on fall aeration is this: Time aeration to allow four weeks of growing time prior to frost.

So now you want to look at aerating your cool season grass.

Aeration Varies With Soil

Different soil types require more frequent aeration. Clay soil compacts easily and should be aerated at least once a year.

Timing Tips

When you know you’re going to aerate, do so just prior to fertilizing or reseeding your lawn. Aeration creates openings for nutrients and seed to penetrate soil. Control weeds prior to aerating, because the process of aerating can spread weed seeds or portions of weedy roots. Aerate when soil is moist, but not saturated. The tines of a lawn aerator penetrate moist soil more deeply; soil that’s too wet clogs tines. This may mean you’ll water for one hour one day prior to aerating or, if your soil is hard, for shorter times on several days prior to aerating. Avoid aerating during drought or high heat. If you aerate in these conditions, you’ll stress the lawn by allowing heat to dry soil.

for more information, contact me at Lilburnlandscape.com/contact-me, Porter Deal