It’s the middle of August and we are experiencing another spike in temperatures. You might be asking, “What does this mean for my grass? Should I aerate and overseed my lawn?” Both questions are very common during the late part of summer as we prepare for the fall. Let’s dive in for a more thorough understanding of the process and benefits of aeration and overseeding.
Regardless of whether your lawn is thick and green, or you have bare areas that need help filling in, aeration and overseeding is the most beneficial service that we perform all year. The process of lawn aeration involves the removal of small soil plugs or cores from the ground leaving 2.5″ – 4″ holes in the lawn. Don’t be alarmed – this is normal and beneficial! Allowing those cores to dry up and deteriorate on their own will redeposit nutrients back to the turf.
The aeration holes allow nutrients and water to go deep into the soil, in addition making this the perfect time to add new varieties of turfgrass seed to the lawn. The seed falls into the holes left behind by the core aerator and germinates. As the final stage in the process, this allows for new grass plants to grow with deep roots and the lawn becomes thicker and healthier.
What are the benefits of aeration and overseeding?
- Improves fertilizer use
- Improves water absorption
- Reduces soil compaction
- Increases airflow to the root system
- Helps break down the thatch layer
- Enhances infiltration of rainfall or irrigation
- Helps prevent run-off from overly compacted area
- Introduces new and improved grass types
As we approach the end of summer, the window of opportunity to aerate and overseed your lawn is quickly approaching and the schedule will fill up fast! We begin performing our aeration and overseeding service during the last week of August.
If you are interested in adding aeration and overseeding to your lawn or if you have additional questions please call us today at (781) 297-3674!
