How Do I Aerate My Lawn?

To aerate your lawn, you will need to pull small plugs of soil or poke holes in the soil. This will help nutrients, oxygen and water suppress deep into the roots and accelerate grass growth.

A major secret to getting that healthy, green grass is lawn aeration. Commonly overlooked, this simple lawn care practice is one of the key practices in preserving the life of your lawn. If you want a lush, healthy lawn, it requires knowing how to aerate your lawn the right way.

Soil compaction can be caused over time by foot traffic, weather or outdoor projects. When the soil is compacted, there’s often nowhere for the roots to grow, and air pockets where nutrients can enter from the surface are lacking.

Thatch (the layer of organic material between the grass and the soil surface) can also accumulate, creating a barrier between the roots and the nutrients they require.

Unless you have sandy soil and drainage is a nonissue (which would be the only case in which I would not consider aerating for these reasons):

• Greater grass density: Aeration creates openings in the soil that allow new shoots of grass to take root while filling in any patchiness.
• Improved aeration: Aeration creates small ventilation holes throughout your lawn so that oxygen can penetrate the root zone.
• Healthy roots: Having easy access to water, oxygen, and nutrients means the grass roots can grow strong, deep, and healthy.
• Improved water absorption: The water can be absorbed well by the soil after the aeration. This prevents runoff and allows your grass to absorb the moisture it needs.
• Access to nutrients: Just like aeration provides open pathways for essential nutrients like top dressing, fertilizer and water to flow into the soil.
• Optimized fertilizer effectiveness: Taking fertilizers through the right dose and supplying before soil, fertilizers and nutrients through the fertilizer efficiency is the only thing we can achieve.
• Reduced compaction: Aeration loosens even the densest clay soil, giving roots plenty of room to grow.
• Weed Resistance: A well-aerated lawn can actually resist weeds naturally.

Which means that any homeowner who wants a plush, green lawn must know how to aerate. Let’s analyze the process step by step:

Step 1: Prepare the tools and materials

Before aerating your lawn, you need to collect the proper aeration tools and supplies:

• Lawn aerator
• Lawnmower
• Watering Can & Sprinkler
• Markers or colorful flags or stakes

Choose the right aerator

Lawn size will determine the kind of aerator that is best for you. Here are the most used:

• Aerator shoes: Aerator shoes are an inexpensive option for small lawns. Like sandals with spikes on the soles, they are strapped onto your feet so you can aerate as you walk across your lawn.
• Core or plug aerators: Also known as hollow tines, core aerators can reduce soil compaction in large lawns. They’re offered in manual and mechanical editions.
• Liquid or soil conditioners: Liquid aerators can mitigate light compaction. When they come into contact with the lawn’s surface, they break down compacted soil particles and, over time, improve soil structure.
• Rolling aerators: Rolling aerators are towed behind a riding mower or lawn tractor, and consist of a roller with spikes or blades that pierce the soil. Designed to rapidly cover large areas, many have adjustable settings for different types of soil.
• Slicing aerators: This type of lawn aerator features rotating blades or disks that cut slits or grooves into the soil without pulling out cores. Less intrusive than plug aerators, they’re also not as effective and only appropriate for lighter compaction.
• Spike aerators: Spike aerators create holes in the lawn with sharp tines. They work well with smaller lawns but may not dependably work on clay soils as they may compact the soil surrounding the holes.
• Tine rake aerators: Best for small lawns and spot treatments, these hand-operated tools with multiple metal tines are pushed or pulled across the lawn by the user. They form shallow trenches in the ground to let nutrients seep into the root zone.

Step 2: Prepare your lawn

We prepare ourselves with the tools and materials but your lawn must also be prepared.

Mow the lawn

If, however, you’re hiring a pro to cut your grass, or trimming your own lawn first, mowing is the key. Higher grass will hinder the aeration process either way and reduce the effectiveness of the aeration minimizing the benefits for your grass. And make sure to mow it to the height recommended for your grass type.

Water the lawn

The aerator may have difficulty digging into dry or heavily compacted soils, which could put unnecessary stress on the machine. To make the operation easier, don’t forget to properly water your lawn a day or two before aerating. You too can aerate the day after a rain shower.

Mark sprinkler heads and shallow utility lines

You should also take precautions by clearly marking the locations of sprinkler heads and shallow utility lines. Sprinkler heads, often located just below the soil surface, can be damaged by the aerator’s tines or spikes. It can introduce disruption to your irrigation system and lead to significant repair costs.

Shallow utility lines, such as cable, electrical or irrigation conduits, are also at risk if you don’t identify and mark their positions before aeration. Hitting these lines can create safety hazards, service interruptions, and expensive repairs.

Step 3: Aerate your lawn

This is where the aeration process begins. Pull the aerator back and forth in a crisscross pattern over your lawn. Be sure to overlap each pass slightly to ensure adequate coverage. The aerator will create tiny holes or remove small plugs of soil.

Aerate your lawn twice, with the second pass intersecting the first at a right angle in a checkerboard or crosshatch pattern. Make extra passes, particularly in areas that become compacted from repeated foot traffic.

Step 4: Leave soil plugs on your lawn

This breaks them apart to make them easier to distribute across your lawn (after letting them dry out for a few days).

These plugs will deteriorate over time and replenish the soil with organic matter, which is a valuable nutrient. The peat is well decomposed organic matter which acts like a natural top dressing that reduces the buildup of thatch and improves the health of the roots.

Soil plugs also provide a protective layer for your lawn. They act as insulation and regulate soil temperature and water. This protective barrier shields the grassroots from extreme temperature variations and excessive moisture losses.

Step 5: After aeration care

Water your lawn a little bit more to help recover the soil and your grass. Aerating your lawn is only successful if you maintain your regular lawn care such as mowing and fertilizing. For the next two or three weeks, water your lawn deeply with an inch of water (or about 20 minutes per section) in the morning every two to three days.

Pro tip: Go ahead and use herbicides — many people believe that putting a pre-emergent herbicide down on lawns after they’ve been aerated won’t work to prevent or control any weeds at all, and that’s not the case. You can continue to mow your lawn as you normally would.

Step 6: Overseed your lawn

Overseeding will increase the density and color of your lawn. You have two options:

You can overseed, and fertilize and compost your lawn right after core aeration.

If you’re looking for a more uniform lawn, wait a month or so after aeration, then overseed.

This, along with fertilizer and compost, will encourage new grass to grow when you spread your seeds.

Professional vs. DIY lawn aeration

If you choose to do it yourself, your main cost will be that of renting or buying an aerator, which can run from about $100 to $300 or more, depending on the kind and size of aerator. This said, if you were to hire a professional lawn aeration service provider, the cost usually ranges from $82–$251.

• Frequency: How often you choose to aerate your lawn can also affect the total price. Aeration is less than a routine scheduled aeration.
• Add-on services: When purchasing lawn aeration, be prepared to spend more if you want to bundle it with other services, like overseeding or fertilization.
• Maintenance: If you buy your own aerator, consider maintenance costs, such as repairs and blade sharpening,
• DIY supplies: If you’re taking the DIY route, you may want to make room in your budget for essentials like fuel for your lawnmower and supplies like marking flags.

If you enlist the help of a pro or aerate the lawn yourself, you must prepare for these expenses. But an aerated lawn will flourish and can ultimately require less maintenance and treatments over time.

FAQs

What is the difference between dethatching and aeration?

Aerating reduces soil compaction, and lawn dethatching removes thatch — the layer of dead grass and organic matter that accumulates just above the soil line. Some thatch, a light layer, is good for your lawn. But if it’s thicker than half an inch, it can inhibit grass growth.

Both soil compaction and excessive thatch create serious problems for your lawn’s growth because they create a barrier that prevents oxygen, water, and nutrients from penetrating down to lower levels of soil. But, they need to be handled differently. If aeration pokes holes in the soil, dethatching rakes up the thatch layer.

If the culprit is both thatch and soil compaction, you need to dethatch prior to aerating.

How often should I aerate my lawn?

If your soil is sandy and has minimal drainage problems, you should aerate every two or three years. If your lawn gets a lot of foot traffic or has heavy clay soil, it’s best to aerate once a year or even twice.

When should I aerate my lawn?

A handy reference for when to aerate for the type of grass you have:

Type of grass   |           When to aerate

Bahiagrass – Late spring to early summer

Bentgrass – Early fall

Bermudagrass – Late spring to early summer

Carpetgrass –   Late spring to early summer

Centipedegrass – Late spring to early summer

Fescue -Early fall

Kentucky bluegrass – Early fall

Perennial ryegrass – Early fall

St. Augustinegrass – Late spring to early summer

Zoysiagrass – Late spring to early summer

The timing can play a decisive role in the success of your aeration process, so keep this fact in mind. So pick the right season for your type of grass, check the type and moisture of the soil and plan accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Like a breath of fresh air for your lawn, aeration can change your patchy, struggling grass into a lush, green natural carpet. Don’t forget to select the right time, use the right equipment, and follow these steps for aerating your yard.

If you’d prefer to leave it to the pros to poke holes in your yard, you can always hire a local lawn care pro who knows best how to aerate your lawn. The result will be thicker, greener, more beautiful grass, so your lawn will be forever grateful.

Albuquerque Lawn Aeration

If you need lawn aeration in Albuquerque the company to call is ASAP Sands Outdoor Services. We’ve been in the lawn care business providing Albuquerque lawn aeration services for over 40 years and we to a great job. Call us today at 505-293-4014!