Maintaining a healthy and vibrant lawn is a top goal for thousands of homeowners nationwide. If you share this goal, fertilizing, mowing, and pest control are great ways to protect your yard and promote dense growth, but they only go so far. Aeration and overseeding are two underappreciated but powerful lawn care strategies that can help you achieve the dream lawn you’ve always wanted this fall. Let’s dig into the usefulness of aeration and overseeding and how they can transform your lawn into a luscious paradise!

What is aeration?

Aeration is a method to improve air, water, and nutrient circulation by creating small holes in the soil and penetrating the thatch layer. While some homeowners do this by punching spikes into the lawn, others use core aerators to remove plugs of soil directly from the earth. We prefer to offer clients core aeration because it avoids further soil compaction and the plugs left behind make an excellent natural fertilizer!

The benefits of aeration.

It might sound counterintuitive to poke holes in your lawn, but surprisingly, this process has plenty of advantages. We recommend that homeowners consider aeration every year for the tremendous benefits to their lawns.

• Strengthens the root systems: Aeration reduces soil compaction, encouraging roots to grow deeper and more robust. This technique is especially beneficial in areas with clay soils, commonly seen in regions of Indiana.
• Thickens the lawn naturally: With easier access to nutrients and water and more root-growing space, your lawn will naturally grow thicker and denser, developing into a green carpet that every homeowner dreams of accomplishing.
• Water intake is improved: Aeration also improves your grass’s water intake, which helps it stay hydrated in droughts and summer months. Instead of water sitting at the soil surface, it will correctly absorb into the deeper soil layers.

What is overseeding?

Instead of laying brand new grass seed on bare earth, overseeding is the beneficial process of sowing seeds into an already established lawn. Overseeding is an excellent way to fill gaps and bare lawn spaces left by previous lawn damage, leaving a fuller and denser look. In addition to improving your yard’s aesthetic appeal, it also prevents weeds from inhabiting the empty spaces and gives you a chance to introduce new grass types into your yard.

How do these two lawn care steps coincide?

These two lawn care methods go hand-in-hand to boost your lawn health during the fall season. Overseeding works with the aeration process by making more space to spread seeds within the lawn and increase its tolerance to drought and disease. Generally, our Indiana lawn care specialists at Brooklawn use a 70/30 blend of bluegrass for the best results, but the variety you choose is ultimately up to your preferences. The aeration makes an easily accessible way for seeds to settle in the soil and begin germinating.

In addition to providing space for grass seed to establish in the lawn, the aeration process helps to break up soil compaction, enabling better air circulation, nutrient absorption, and water penetration. This prepared soil environment fosters healthier and more robust growth for the existing grass and the newly seeded areas.

When should I aerate and overseed?

Knowing the right time to aerate and overseed is crucial to achieve optimal results. The ideal window for aeration is during the fall months of September and October. During this time, the soil is still warm enough to encourage root growth, and the cooler temperatures help prevent stress on the grass. Then, we recommend seeding after you aerate because the holes created by the aerator provide an ideal environment for new grass seed to establish itself.

Maintenance tip during aeration and overseeding.

The process of aeration and overseeding is relatively simple, but the aftercare for these methods is essential to the well-being of your turf. New grass growth is delicate and requires lots of water and care, so follow these quick tips for the best results.

• Maintain the soil moisture: Once lawns are seeded, keep the lawn wet by watering every three days to help the root system establish itself and help support healthy seed germination.
• Water in the morning: On hot summer days, the best time to water is before the hot midday hours to reduce evaporation and effectively keep your lawn hydrated throughout the day.
• Look out for seed germination: Once you see the seeds sprouting, you can reduce your water consumption while keeping the soil consistently moist. This will ensure the new seedlings thrive during their critical establishment period.

Should I hire an Indiana lawn care company to aerate and overseed?

While homeowners can absolutely perform these lawn care tasks independently, our answer is a resounding yes! There are many advantages to opting for professional lawn services. For one, aeration and overseeding require many tools, including a core aerator, grass seed, seed spreader, and more which can become costly in no time. Lawn care companies have this equipment on hand, including protective gear and years of experience handling the supplies.

Another benefit of hiring a lawn care company for your fall aeration and overseeding is that you’ll have access to an expert. Indiana lawn care specialists are well-informed in regional lawn care and commonly occurring problems. While we welcome homeowners to research lawn health and preserve healthy turf through aeration and overseeding, opting for professional care ensures you have a trained specialist managing your lawn maintenance. We always recommend contacting your local lawn care companies to discover their services and pricing before diving in.

Get a FREE quote for Indiana aeration services today.

Brooklawn Services is proud to offer Indiana residents year-round lawn services that boost growth and beautify their yards. With offices in Indianapolis and Muncie, our team is prepared to take on any lawn servicing you require. If you’re ready to grow your lawn exponentially, call 888.794.9555 or contact us here for a FREE quote for our Indiana aeration services. For more tips and tricks from the experts, visit our blog.