Get matched with top lawn irrigation specialists in Lake City, IA

Depending on the lawn treatments, the best times of the year to redo your lawn are between mid-August and mid-September for overseeding and renovation treatments. For areas such as the southern United States, lawn aeration works best during the fall, when the temperatures begin to drop. Otherwise, early spring is your next best bet because the grass is fresh and ready to absorb nutrients, and the temperature isn’t hot enough to fry the grass and the renovation materials.

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.

You can reseed a rundown lawn with dead grass, but first, you should remove all of the dead parts and test the soil. Doing this will help you understand what’s killing your lawn so that you can fix it and prevent it from ruining your new grass. Once you’ve made the appropriate adjustments, you can rake, fertilize, and reseed.

Short answer: yes. Although aeration is beneficial for most lawns and soil types, if it’s done too frequently, you can weaken the grass’s roots so much that they’ll begin to have trouble. Generally, most lawns can be aerated as infrequently as once every one to three years, although those with more foot traffic and compaction may benefit from aeration up to twice yearly.