Q: When should I aerate my own lawn?

• <div><p>It&rsquo;s a good idea to aerate your lawn in the fall or spring when there is plenty of moisture in the soil. If you plan to aerate twice annually, you can do so once in the fall and once in the spring. You don&rsquo;t want to aerate when your grass is dormant, and you also don&rsquo;t want to aerate directly after a big rain, as the soil will be too wet for the aeration to be effective.</p></div>

Question 1

When should I aerate my own lawn?

Accepted Answer

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It’s a good idea to aerate your lawn in the fall or spring when there is plenty of moisture in the soil. If you plan to aerate twice annually, you can do so once in the fall and once in the spring. You don’t want to aerate when your grass is dormant, and you also don’t want to aerate directly after a big rain, as the soil will be too wet for the aeration to be effective.

Question 2

What are some common lawn aeration add-ons?

Accepted Answer

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When hiring a lawn aeration professional, they may suggest other related services to get your lawn looking lush and fabulous. Prior to scheduling any of the following services, you should consult your lawn care pro about the order and timing of multiple projects to ensure best results for your grass. These services might include:

Lawn mowing
Overseeding or reseeding your lawn
Fertilizing
Dethatching

Lawn mowing
Overseeding or reseeding your lawn
Fertilizing
Dethatching

Question 3

How do I break up hard dirt in my yard?

Accepted Answer

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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.

Question 4

How often should lawn aeration be performed?

Accepted Answer

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Generally once yearly or twice if the lawn experiences high traffic or is part of heavy clay soils.

Question 5

How do you rough up soil for grass seed?

Accepted Answer

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The easiest way to rough up soil to accept grass seed and provide the best opportunity for its growth is to make several passes over the area with a garden tiller and rake away the loosened vegetation and debris. However, in some cases, very hard ground may require using a shovel or pick to break up pieces into smaller chunks that the tiller can handle more easily.