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Almost all lawns can benefit from aeration, but not all lawns need aeration services. If your lawn has puddles of standing water, uneven grass growth, thinning grass, dries out quickly, or has a good amount of thatch, aeration is worthwhile. On the other hand, if your lawn is healthy and your soil isn’t too compact, you may be able to skip a year of aeration.

Try the tool test first. A screwdriver or a similarly long, thin tool will work best, as spades and shovels are too big. If something still seems off despite the screwdriver smoothly going into the soil, look for other signs that you need aeration, like thinning grass, discolored areas, and puddles forming on your lawn after light rain. This indicates poor drainage because of too many areas being compacted.

Watering the lawn after aeration is crucial for getting the most benefits out of it. Not watering the lawn enough will cause the efforts of aeration to be in vain. Light and frequent watering will prevent the soil and grass seeds from drying out, but too much watering can create a muddy mess and wash the seeds away. Watering twice a day is a good benchmark.

Aerate during the growing season, typically in spring or fall, when grass can quickly recover.