What should I put down after aerating my lawn?

Apply fertilizer immediately after aerating your lawn to put nutrients into your grass roots. This allows the grass to better prepare for the summer heat. Growing a thick, healthy lawn is useful in preventing weeds as well. Reseed your lawn, especially in areas of the lawn where the grass is thin.

Should you fill holes after aeration?

Fill the aeration holes completely to the surface – Partially filled aeration holes result in a bumpy surface and reduce the overall effectiveness of core aeration. The holes are going to fill up with something, and it will be more thatch and organic matter unless sand can be applied to completely fill the column.

Should ground be wet before aerating?

Aerating is easiest on you (or your equipment operator) and your lawn when your soil is moist from irrigation or rainfall the day before. Overly dry soil can be tough to aerate, so moisture eases the process.

What month should I aerate my lawn?

The best time to aerate is during the growing season when your grass can heal and fill in any open areas once soil plugs are removed. In most parts of California, the best time to aerate tends to be in the late summer to mid-fall months, ideally September or October.

Should I pick up plugs after aerating?

As we’ve established, don’t remove aeration plugs. It takes approximately one to two weeks for the plugs to break down on their own, but there are some things you can do to help the plugs break down faster to tidy up the lawn. You can hope for rainfall, but you can also water the lawn to help the plugs break down.

Is April too early to aerate lawn?

Spring Aeration and Overseeding
If you’re looking to aerate your landscape in the spring, the best time would be between March and May. While we recommend aerating your lawn in the fall, spring core aeration may be beneficial if your turf is so compacted it refuses to grow.

What do you do with the holes after aerating?

What to do with the cores after hollow tine aeration? The best thing to do is to let them dry in place and then go over them with the lawn mower with the box off if the instructions allow. A rotary is ideal to re-distribute the soil from the cores back over the lawn.

Can aerating the soil damage roots?

Will aerating the soil damage roots? Worried about damaging roots along the way? Rest assured that even though you might break some roots in the process, this is nothing compared to what overly-compact soil might cause.

Should you water lawn after aeration?

During the first two weeks following your aeration and seeding service, the main goal is to keep the ground/seed moist while the seed begins to germinate. We recommend that you water each day for at least 20 minutes in all areas of the lawn (water the soil to a depth of about 1/4”).

Should you water the lawn right after aerating?

Begin watering immediately after the aeration work is complete. Light and frequent watering is preferred for seedlings. Dos Amigos Landscaping recommends watering to the point where at least 1 inch of the top of the turf is wet or light puddling is taking place. Water at least two times per day.

Can you aerate when ground is dry?

For best results, aerate lawns when the soil is moist. Avoid aeration when soils are dry or wet. The tubes or tines will not be able to penetrate deeply when the soil is dry. The tubes or tines may get plugged with soil when the soil is wet.

When should you not aerate your lawn?

Spring is not the ideal time to aerate the lawn, but circumstances may require it. If the soil is so compacted that existing grass can’t grow, it may be necessary to aerate in the spring. 1 Generally, though, spring aerating is discouraged because the aeration holes provide a perfect spot for weed seeds to germinate.

Should I fertilize before aerating?

Should I fertilize or aerate first? In most cases, aerating is best before laying fertilizer as it allows for more oxygen and deeper growth of grass roots. If you have compact soil or clay soil, it is especially crucial to aerate before so that the fertilizer reaches deeper roots.

Should I mow before or after aeration?

It’s generally recommended to mow before aeration, especially if you’re overseeding. That said, it won’t hurt the lawn if you mow after aerating if you aren’t laying down grass seed. Mowing first allows you to expose the soil before aerating.

What happens if you aerate your lawn too early?

Aerating too early or late in the year, such as during winter dormancy or summer heat and drought, stresses the grass at a time when it needs to conserve its resources. Poor timing of aeration could open the lawn to weeds, insects, or disease.

How do you aerate hard soil?

Core aeration is considered the best and most effective way of loosening your compact soil. Other methods of aeration, such as spiking, don’t remove any soil from your lawn, so they can actually make your compaction issue worse. During core aeration, tiny plugs or cores are pulled up throughout your yard.

How do I prepare my lawn for aerating?

How long after aerating should you fertilize?

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 many times a year do you need to 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.

Should I put sand on my lawn after aerating?

When using sand after aeration, the sand fills the holes and helps change the soil structure, improving its drainage and increasing the growth of healthy grass. Masonry sand is a great option because it’s free of debris, weeds and pebbles. Some lower the cost of their top dressing by mixing sand, topsoil and compost.

Should you wet soil before aerating?

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.

Can you Aerate Your Lawn When it’s Wet?

Will aeration fix 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.

Should I add topsoil after aerating?

After aerating, it’s time for top dressing: spread either pulverized top soil or a good quality humus compost across the lawn. You don’t need much—about a quarter inch or so is adequate. Then, go ahead and reseed. Be sure to invest some money in the seed and get good quality, weed-free seed.

Does the ground need to be soft to aerate?

Time your aeration.
Aerate when the ground is soft, like after an irrigation cycle or a recent rainfall. This allows the tines to penetrate the ground easier and deeper. Hollow- and solid-core aerator tines struggle to penetrate hard, dry soil, making the process less effective.

Will a aerator work in compacted soil?

Aerating can help relieve soil compaction, and spring is an excellent time to do it. A core aerator takes out plugs of soil and leaves holes to loosen the soil and get air to roots. It reduces compaction from regular mowing and traffic such as lawn games. It opens up space to allow air to get to the roots.