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Yes, you can overseed your lawn without aerating it, but results may vary. If you have the time, dethatching or aerating your lawn before overseeding will yield the best results. Overseeding your lawn without aerating will work, but less seed will take root. For the best possible results, aerate your lawn before overseeding it.

First, you should figure out whether you have dormant or dead grass. Dead grass won’t come back, so you’ll have to reseed if you’re hoping for a lush lawn. However, grass can go dormant if it hasn’t received enough water or if temperatures are too cold. If it’s still decently warm outside, you can revive dormant grass by watering it. But if it’s mid-January in New England, for example, you’ll need to wait until the weather warms up again. If you want to keep grass green in winter, consider a grass like Kentucky bluegrass, which maintains its color year-round.

Lawn aerators range in cost depending on what type of aerator you’re purchasing. For example, a manual spike aerator might cost as little as $25, while a motorized core aerator will likely cost more than $1,000. Fortunately, these expensive pieces of equipment can be easily rented from many vendors for far less money.

Common tools include spike aerators and core aerators. Professionals often use motorized equipment for efficiency.