Many of our customers ask us if they should have aerate and seed their lawns each year. The answer is always a definite maybe!

One of the best things you can do for your lawn besides proper mowing and fertilization is aeration and seeding. After the summer, when your lawn is stressed out from heat and drastic changes in weather and after high traffic from backyard barbeques and outdoor play, your grass needs some stress relief in the form of aeration. Aerating is like getting acupuncture for your grass. The process involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow air, water, and nutrients to absorb at the roots, helping them to grow deeply and develop into a strong vibrant lawn.

To answer the question of whether to aerate every year, we counter with the following questions:

• Does your lawn get heavy use from frequent barbeques and from kids and pets playing? A compacted lawn as thin as one-fourth to one-half an inch can obstruct water infiltration and gas exchange between the soil and the atmosphere. To test soil compaction, try the screwdriver test: A normal sized screwdriver should be able to penetrate your lawn all the way to the handle.
• Does your lawn have dry patches that feel spongy? This might mean your lawn has an excessive thatch problem.
• Was your lawn established by sod? This can cause soil layering which is when finer, imported soil from the sod is layered over courser soil causing drainage issues, compacted conditions and poor root development.

Even if only one of the answers above “yes,” then your lawn needs aeration and seeding. This could be once a year or every other year. In the Maryland area, the fall is the best time to aerate and seed when the weather is cooler and the tall fescue, perennial ryegrasses that we sow have the best chance to germinate, mature and develop a solid root base. The growing takes place well into the winter then starts up again in the cool early days of spring. We expect a thirty percent improvement of turf density over this time period.

No matter whether your turf is thin or healthy, our aeration and seeding service spreads disease and drought resistant product, prepping your lawn for a lush, spring green up. Couple fall aeration and seeding with one of our fertilizing programs and your lawn will be the best looking in the neighborhood! Call us for a free inspection and quote.