How Often and When to Aerate Your Lawn

Lawn aeration is an effective way to maximize your lawn’s health. Since lawns aren’t a naturally occurring phenomenon in nature, there are some obstacles to maintaining them. 

Things like heavy rainfall and wear and tear from regular use can cause the soil to become compacted, which starves the roots of needed nutrients. 

If you are ready to grow a vibrant and healthy lawn, read on to learn what lawn aeration is, how often to do it, and when to aerate your lawn. 

What Is Lawn Aeration? 

Simply put, lawn aeration means breaking up the soil to reduce compaction. Compaction can occur for multiple reasons, such as: 

  • Walking on or using the lawn
  • Snow
  • Lack of Rainfall or Irrigation 
  • A thick layer of dead grass or thatch  

Aeration works by puncturing holes into the soil to break up the compacted soil. The two techniques of aeration use spike aerators and core aerators. 

Spike aerators are exactly what they sound like—large lawn tools with spikes that roll across the lawn to drive holes into the soil. On the other hand, core aeration involves pulling out plugs of dirt. 

While they essentially serve the same function, core aeration tends to have better long-term effects. 

When to Aerate Your Lawn 

The best time to aerate your lawn will differ depending on the type of grass you have. If you are growing cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, Bentgrass, and Fine fescue, you should plan to aerate in late summer or early fall. 

However, if you are growing warm-season grasses like St. Augustine, Bermuda, and Bahia grass, you should plan to aerate during early summer or late spring. 

How Often to Aerate Your Lawn 

How often you aerate your lawn will depend on the type of soil you have and if it’s prone to compaction. For instance, Atlanta’s clay soil, requires  an annual aeration because it compacts more quickly than other soil types. 

On the other hand, sandier soils will need even less aeration since they are less prone to compaction, and overdoing it will have negative effects. You should also consider your use of the yard when determining how often to aerate. 

If you regularly use your yard space for gatherings, have children who play in the yard, or place furniture or machinery on your lawn, it is likely to become frequently compacted. To test this, you can attempt to drive something in the soil, like a screwdriver. 

If you cannot easily penetrate the ground, then it’s time to aerate your lawn. 

Need Help Aerating Your Lawn? 

Lawn aeration can be a difficult task to take on alone, and if done incorrectly, it can cost you the health of your lawn. At TurfPride Lawncare, we pride ourselves on providing quality lawn care services to our Kennesaw, Georgia clients.  

We have years of experience in the industry, offering exceptional lawn care, tree, and shrub services. If you are looking for exceptional aeration services, contact us today at (770) 590-7200.