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Break up hard dirt in your yard with popular methods such as core aeration or manual aeration with a spade, mini excavator, or pitchfork. You can also alter your soil to keep it from compacting in the future. Adding compost, groundcover plants, or aeration granules—preferably made of organic materials—can also soften your ground and encourage water saturation.

Yes, you should water the lawn after aerating. Now that you’ve loosened up the soil to better receive nutrients, it’s time to hydrate and fertilize your lawn. You’ll want to keep it evenly moist to promote healthy growth. Don’t drown your grass—too much of a good thing can reverse all the work you’ve done with aeration in the first place. But especially if you’ve overseeded and/or fertilized after aeration, you’ll want to ensure a moist soil layer to absorb those nutrients and fuel for new growth.

Whether you’re putting down fresh seed or reseeding, there are a few things to keep in mind when seeding your lawn. Be sure to choose the correct seed for your climate, seed at the right time of year, and water two to three times a day for the first week. Generally, Dudley recommends seeding in spring and fall as it is usually cooler and rainier.

Mow before aeration. After you've aerated the lawn, you can fertilize, water, and overseed. But wait at least two weeks after aeration before you mow.