How many times should i aerate?

If you have high traffic areas or heavy clay soil, you'll want to air them out every year. If you have sandy soil or your lawn grows well, you can air it every 2 to 3 years. Aeration should be done once a year for healthy lawns and twice a year for lawns with compacted soil and straw accumulation. The best time of year is just before the high-growth season, which, for cold-season grass, is the beginning of spring and fall and, for warm-season grass, it's late spring.

In our clay soil in the Red River Valley, people tend to aerate too little and want to rake too much. Golf courses are aired a couple of times a year and residential gardens should consider being aired at least every two years. This depends on soil, traffic and humidity, but every two years is a good rule of thumb. You can then compare the cost of the service to the cost of buying or renting an aerator, your willingness to spend the time, and your degree of comfort in aerating your own lawn.

The growing season is the ideal time of year to aerate, as the roots will take advantage of their newfound access to water and nutrients, helping the grass to recover quickly as they grow. A well-kept lawn can be the pride of any homeowner and the envy of all neighbors, but it's not something that just happens, but requires time and effort to achieve the desired effect. The best time to aerate a lawn varies depending on the type of grass you have and the climate in your region. Over time, cuttings of dead grass, sprouts and stems build up in the top layer of the turf, creating a barrier between grass leaves and soil.

However, over time, the soil under the grass gradually compacts and aeration is one way to help it return to a healthier state. In the Northeast and the Midwest, late summer (late August to early September) is a good time to aerate and oversow. By paying attention to lawn health, water runoff, water buildup, straw thickness, and other signs that it's time to air, you can help keep your grass green and lush. The best time of year to aerate cold-season lawns, such as Kentucky blue grass and creeping red fescue, is in early spring and fall.

Combining both processes at the right time of year, just before the growing season, will result in a thick, healthy lawn and will leave no room for weeds to slip in.