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Both aerating and scarifying your lawn can offer serious benefits. Aerating pokes holes in the soil to better allow air, moisture, and nutrients to permeate while scarifying removes the buildup of dead plant matter at the soil’s surface. Most lawns require both of these maintenance items to thrive.

While your lawn will reap the benefits of core aeration faster than liquid aeration, the liquid solution will last longer and have more cumulative effects. If your lawn is in really bad shape, try both. By creating holes in the soil with the core aerator, you’ll make it easier for your lawn to absorb the liquid aerator solution. You might have to apply the liquid aerator several times during the growing season, but again, the positive results will be more cumulative than with core aeration on its own.

Aeration is most effective when the soil is slightly moist but not excessively dry or waterlogged. If your lawn's soil is extremely dry, consider watering it a day or two before aeration to facilitate the process. Conversely, avoid aerating when the soil is saturated or excessively wet, as it can lead to poor aeration results and potential damage to your lawn. Finding the right moisture balance is crucial for successful lawn aeration.

You can thicken new grass by using fertilizer, watering it 1 to 1½ inches per week, mowing when it is at an optimal height, and preventing weeds. You should fertilize your grass while you plant the grass seed, or soon afterward. Use an herbicide to prevent weeds or spot spray with herbicide to kill existing weeds.