Category: Aeration/Seeding

When you seed the lawn determines when the seeds will germinate. We must seed after the extreme heat of August has ended. Seeding early in the fall allows the seed to germinate and set roots yet this year. Seeding later in the season, the seeds will remain dormant in your lawn until the warm temperatures of next spring when they will begin to grow.

When overseeding we do our best to keep the seeds in the lawn. We have shields on the seed spreader to keep the distribution as close as possible to the machine.

Depending upon your soil type the soil plugs can be hard to find. Sandy soils allow the plugs to break down very quickly, almost as soon as we pull them out of the soil. If you have a thick, lush lawn that is mown high, plugs can be hidden in the grass. Check areas where there is less grass to see if you can see the plugs or holes in the lawn there.

Aeration pulls up plugs that are about 2-3 inches long from your lawn. These plugs of soil will break down very quickly sitting on the surface of the lawn from rain, watering, and normal mowing. You should not remove the plugs; the natural breakdown of the plugs adds nutrients back into your lawn for the upcoming season

Since you are already investing in the health of your lawn with fertilizer and weed control, then including aeration is a very easy answer: yes. Here is why. Typically, turfgrass roots only grow 1-2 inches deep. Core aeration removes a cylindrical core, approximately 2-3 inches deep, creating a physical opening in the soil. This opening allows water and nutrients (fertilizer) to penetrate deep into the soil. Aeration encourages roots to grow deeper and denser, making your lawn more resilient to drought and weed infestation. 

Aeration is one of the single most effective practices to help your lawn thrive. We suggest one visit per year in the fall with over-seeding. However, for difficult soil conditions, or if you are looking for the ultimate lawn, an early spring aeration will help improve the lawn faster.