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If you have a beautifully thriving yard with no bald spots, you can choose to aerate your yard once every two years. Otherwise, having your lawn aerated at least once a year is recommended. And in those circumstances where you have a significant amount of thatch buildup or a thinning and bald yard, it's best to aerate twice a year to maintain a healthy lawn.

There are a few time periods or conditions during which you should avoid aerating your lawn. For example, do not aerate when the ground is frozen or waterlogged, as it can damage the soil structure and grass roots. Aerating during the peak of summer heat or drought is also not recommended since it can stress your grass further. It's best to wait for cooler, more favorable conditions. Finally, newly seeded lawns should not be aerated until the grass is well-established, usually at least one year after seeding.

Buffalo grass starts to turn brown when encountering drought during the normal growing season. You can water the grass when you begin to notice some browning to prevent it from going dormant. Additionally, buffalo grass turns brown after the first freeze of late autumn or early winter, and this is a natural time for the grass to go dormant.

The screwdriver test involves trying to push a screwdriver into your lawn. If it goes in easily, you’re likely overwatering and should cut back. If there’s moderate resistance, you have a good watering schedule and soil composition. If there’s a lot of resistance or you can’t get the screwdriver into the soil, you may need to aerate your lawn to reduce compaction and increase your watering schedule.