When Is the Best Time To Aerate Your Lawn?

Regular maintenance tasks on your lawn go a long way in creating a healthier lawn with more thickness. 

Aerating lawns relieves soil compaction and enhances grass growth. It’s one of the lawn maintenance tasks reserved for once a year, yet it plays a crucial role in supporting the smaller monthly tasks. Any lawn can benefit from aeration. If you’re wondering when to aerate your lawn, you came to the right place.

When to Aerate the Lawn

Lawn aeration can take place at any time of the year, but three factors come into play when determining the best time:

• Weather conditions in the area
• Type of grass in the lawn
• Amount of moisture the lawn has received

The recommended time to aerate the lawn is when the grass is at its peak growing period. The period falls between early spring and fall for cool-season grasses. Warm-season grasses will benefit from aeration between late spring and early summer. 

Warm-season grasses include:

• St. Augustine
• Bermuda
• Zoysia
• Centipede

Cold-season grasses include:

• Ryegrass
• Bluegrass
• Fescues

Aeration can happen once every two to three years if the lawn soil is sandy or the grass grows well without hindrances.

Importance of Lawn Aeration

Soil becomes compacted over time, and when that happens, it inhibits the flow of water and other essentials for grass growth. The roots must get sufficient nutrients, water, and air to grow deep and robust.

Without these, the grass couldn’t become thick and healthy. A ¼ to ½ inch thickness of compacted soil can make a significant difference to the beauty and health of your lawn.

Aeration works by creating holes in the soil lumps to allow water, air, and nutrients to get to the roots.

When grass doesn’t get its basic needs, it struggles to overcome low rainfall and stressful heat situations. It loses its rich color and health, eventually thinning and dying out. A single aeration session opens the path for the essentials to reach the roots, putting the lawn back on an upward trend.

How to Aerate the Lawn

Aerating entails three main equipment types, ranging from small manual classes to more extensive tractor-like aeration classes:

• Spike aerators poke holes in the soil using a solid spike-like tine. You may wear spike aerator sandals strapped to the shoes as you work in the yard, but this only works on a small scale.
• Slicing aerators feature rotating blades to cut or slice through the grass down into the soil. They leave the soil on the ground but create nutrients, air, and water pathways.
• Core or plug aerators are ideal for use by lawn professionals. They use rows of hollow spikes to remove plugs of soil from underneath and deposit them on top to break them down. The size of the holes and pins depends on the machine size.

After aerating the lawn, let the soil plugs dry where they fall to break down or crumble. They’ll add beneficial organic matter to the lawn surface. It’s also a perfect time to fertilize your lawn or do simple lawn repairs after aeration.

Hiring a Professional

Aerating a lawn is a task you can handle on your own or hire a lawn service to do it for you. Strategic Grounds Management assists with professional lawn maintenance and landscaping services for multi-location property owners. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.