Table of Contents
6 Steps To Aerating Your Lawn Step 1: Mow The Grass. Before you get started, you should mow the lawn as short as possible and kill off any weeds. Step 2: Water The Soil. Step 3: Select Your Tool. Step 4: Aerate Your Lawn. Step 5: Break Up Remaining Soil Plugs. Step 6: Resume Regular Lawn Care.
Can I manually aerate my lawn?
The best method of manually aerating your lawn is done using a ‘manual core aerator. ‘ This is a tool designed with a handle and a foot bar. You are required to hold the handle using both hands so that you can drive it into the soil. In areas where the soil is too compacted, the foot bar offers extra leverage.
Is it easy to aerate your own lawn?
Aerating is easiest on you (or your equipment operator) and your lawn when your soil is moist from irrigation or rainfall the day before. Overly dry soil can be tough to aerate, so moisture eases the process. Never aerate overly wet lawns; wait a few days instead.
How long does it take to aerate a lawn manually?
Rolling Aerator: Rolling aerators should take about 30 minutes to 1 hour to aerate a lawn.
How much does it cost to rent a lawn aerator?
The cost ranges between $58-$205 dollars per day and is based on the size. This price does not include any delivery fees, which can run around $50-$100 if you can’t transport it yourself.Just how much does it cost to rent a aerator? Lawn Aerator / Plugger Rental Costs Cost Average $92 Maximum $205.
What is the best time to aerate your lawn?
You want to aerate the lawn when your grass is in its peak growing period so it can recover quickly—think early spring or fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring through early summer for warm-season grasses.
Is aerating your lawn worth it?
Is lawn aeration necessary? Almost all lawns will benefit from aeration, and a great lawn demands it. That said, most lawns do not need it. Lawns suffering from heavy foot traffic, excessive thatch (>1 inch thick) or grown on heavy soils will benefit most.
Should you mow lawn before aerating?
Before you aerate, mow your lawn low (Timberline lawn experts recommend setting your mower to about 1.5-2 inches above the ground to maximize the effectiveness of aerating, being sure to not scalp the crown of the grass.) You will want to water one to three days before aerating.
Can you aerate your lawn too much?
Loose soil doesn’t need to be aerated very often. Especially thick types of grass may also call for aerating more frequently. As a general rule, you shouldn’t need to aerate more than once a year at any time (“too much of a good thing” applies here, since you don’t want to damage your soil).
Is it too late to aerate my lawn?
For warm-season grasses it is too late to aerate once the growing season has passed in late summer into early fall. For cool-season grasses, late fall into early winter is too late to aerate.
Can I aerate with a pitchfork?
You can aerate a lawn with many different tools. The most inexpensive way is with a pitchfork or spading fork. This tool is most useful for aerating smaller areas. Simply punch holes as deep as possible in the turf layer and then rock the fork to enlarge the holes.
How do I aerate my lawn?
With a spike aerator, you simply use the tool to poke holes into the ground with a solid tine, or fork. Plug aerators remove a core or plug of grass and soil from the lawn. For the best results, use an aerating tool or machine that actually removes plugs of soil.
Should I rent an aerator?
Renting an aerator is a great way to ensure a healthier lawn. While those with small yards might get by with an inexpensive, easy-to-store hand aerator, it makes more sense for the vast majority of DIYers to rent a lawn aerator instead of buying one.
How much does TruGreen charge to aerate?
How much does TruGreen Aeration cost? The TruGreen aeration costs anywhere from $200 to $450, depending on fertilization and the lawn size. You often need a maximum of one or two aerations per year, and sometimes, you don’t need to aerate at all. If you have a small size yard, you can do the aeration yourself.
Which aerator is better spike or plug?
Spike and plug aerators are used to alleviate the negative affects of compacted soil on your lawn. Plug aerators are usually more effective at relieving compaction in lawns with a heavy clay soil since the solid tines used on spike aerators compact the clay soil further when they push into the ground.
Is it better to aerate in the spring or fall?
We recommend you aerate your lawn once per year. If you have a warm-season grass, you should aerate now (early spring) as temperatures start to rise. If you have cool-season grass, fall is going to be the best time to aerate and seed your lawn. Aeration is necessary for the growth and health of your lawn.
What do you do after you aerate your lawn?
What to Do After Aerating Your Lawn Leave the soil plugs on the lawn to decompose and filter back into the holes left by the aeration machine. Apply fertilizer immediately after aerating your lawn to put nutrients into your grass roots. Reseed your lawn, especially in areas of the lawn where the grass is thin.
Should I pick up plugs after aerating?
Those aeration plugs are vital to the health of your lawn. Resist the urge to “clean” the lawn after it’s been aerated, and whatever you do, don’t remove the plugs.
When should you not aerate your lawn?
Spring is not the ideal time to aerate the lawn, but circumstances may require it. If the soil is so compacted that existing grass can’t grow, it may be necessary to aerate in the spring. 1 Generally, though, spring aerating is discouraged because the aeration holes provide a perfect spot for weed seeds to germinate.
How often should you core aerate your lawn?
How Frequently Should You Aerate Your Lawn? As for frequency, Friell said aeration should be performed at least once per year on most lawns. Lawns with compacted soil or soil with high clay content may benefit from aeration twice annually.
