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To prepare your lawn for core aeration, water it the day before you aerate. (Alternatively, you can wait until it rains and aerate the following day.) Aerating after watering or a rainy day will make the process easier since you can penetrate moist soil better than dry soil. You should also flag your sprinklers so that you don’t accidentally hit them while aerating. If you have a lot of thatch buildup in your yard, you might need to dethatch your lawn before aerating as well.

Speeding up grass seed germination is possible, but it requires quite a bit of extra work and commitment. Keeping the soil moist is key, but here are a few other tried-and-true methods for growing your new grass as quickly as possible:

• Mist grass up to eight times per day to keep the soil moist.

• Purchase a moisture-retaining seed coating for your grass seeds.

• Amend soil that is compacted or in the wrong pH range.

• Choose the right grass seed for your area’s climate and soil conditions.

• Avoid planting on windy days or during periods of extreme rain or drought.

In the fall, you should aerate the soil, overseed the bare spots, kill weeds, mow the lawn low, and rake your leaves. By boosting your lawn’s health in the fall, your grass will be stronger throughout the winter and come back healthier in the spring. You should also trim your perennials so that they withstand the winter and are ready for new growth in the spring. 

Before you put down grass seed, you should cultivate your soil or add two inches of topsoil. You should also put down fertilizer at the same time as your seed to prompt healthy growth. Be sure to water after you put down grass seed, especially for the first two weeks.