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Strange as it may seem, poking holes in your lawn can do a great deal to help the grass grow back stronger, thicker, and happier. By allowing light, water, and nutrients to penetrate the soil, the grass can root down deeper and get more of what it needs to thrive. All of which is to say, if you care about the appearance of your lawn, yes, lawn aeration is usually worth the money—especially since it’s not that expensive.

When you don’t aerate your lawn, the soil will become more compact over time. This limits how much water can soak in to reach the roots of your grass, and it keeps oxygen and carbon dioxide from the plant roots. This can limit grass growth, which may sound great for limiting mowing, but it also leads to a lawn full of grass that looks dull and sparse. Eventually, compacted soil can weaken grass, while also making it more vulnerable to pests, diseases, and erosion and even causing it to die off.

Yes, you can DIY either core or liquid aeration for your lawn. You can use a manual core aerator or rent an automatic one. Just be sure to mark off yard obstacles like sprinkler heads before you start. Liquid aeration is easier—just hook up a garden pump sprayer, although some are able to be attached to a hose. While liquid aeration is not as laborious as core aeration, you will need to focus on an even distribution of the solution across your entire lawn for it to be effective. Of course, if you are unsure about doing both, call a pro.

Yes! Aerating your lawn during its dormancy period—usually over winter and early spring—can cause a disturbance that the grass may not easily recover from. Instead, you should aerate your lawn during its peak growth period, usually in the late summer or early fall (though with some variation based on specific grass type).