Aerate Lawn In Spring Or Fall

The best time of year for dethatching is the same as for aerating.

Aerate lawn in spring or fall.

These dormant periods give time for the lawn to recover and thrive. The best time to aerate a lawn is in the fall or early spring. Settle on a season for aeration based on grass type. When aeration coincides with active growth grasses recover quickly and fill in areas where aerator equipment exposes soil.

For warm season grasses common to southern lawns the best time for aerating is late spring or very early summer. Spring is not the ideal time to aerate the lawn but circumstances may require it. The best time to aerate and seed your lawn is in late summer or early fall since it will give you thicker denser grass which is why we recommend fall seeding be done between mid august and october 1. Most grass in maryland and northern virginia is cool season turf.

The lawn should be dethatched when it is actively growing and the soil is moderately moist. These are both periods where the lawn is softer and not in full growth mode. Considerations for aerating in the spring. When should i aerate my lawn instead.

Weeds seeds especially crabgrass are the first seeds to germinate in the spring and aerating the lawn just stirs them up and gives them an. These grasses slow their growth in the fall before becoming dormant in winter. When to aerate your lawn. Early spring or early fall for cool season grasses and late spring through early summer after the second mowing for warm season grasses.

To ensure that holes in the turf left by aeration are quickly filled with new grass aerate the lawn only in seasons marked by high grass. Late fall or early spring are the best times to aerate. That s when your grass is growing most vigorously. Generally though spring aerating is discouraged because the aeration holes provide a perfect spot for weed seeds to germinate.

Although aerating your lawn in the spring certainly isn t wrong it would have to take a close second compared to aerating in the fall. Ideally aerate the lawn with cool season grass in the early spring or fall and those with warm season grass in the late spring. It will help to improve air to soil interaction allowing water and fertilizer to penetrate the soil. If you aerate in the spring you could potentially kick up weed seeds which can cause unnecessary weed grown around your lawn.

In general knowing when to aerate lawn is important for your yard s health and appearance. In the spring wait until you ve mowed the lawn a few times before aerating. This will ensure the lawn is growing fast enough to recover and take advantage of the increased pore space and air exchange at the root zone that aeration creates.