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Yes, you can throw seed on a lawn and hope it grows, but taking a few steps beforehand, such as dethatching, aerating, or raking, will give the seed a better chance of germinating. While it sounds like it’ll save time, throwing seed on the lawn without doing anything will require much more seed than any other method.

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.

When it comes to combatting the effects of soil compaction, core aeration does a far better job for a longer period of time—because it actually removes dirt rather than just pressing holes into it. By taking dirt out from under your lawn, core aeration allows more light, air, water, and nutrients to penetrate into the soil below and help your grass’s roots grow even stronger.

The frequency of lawn aeration depends on factors such as soil type, grass variety, and lawn usage. In general, it is recommended to aerate cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass or fescue once a year during the fall. On the other hand, warm-season grasses such as Bermuda or zoysia benefit from aeration in late spring or early summer. However, it's essential to assess your lawn's specific needs, as signs of compaction and reduced grass health may indicate the need for aeration outside these general guidelines.