Lawn aeration, please help!

16 years ago

I bought my house a year ago and it used to be a rental. So you can only imagine what condition the grass was in.

Anyhow, since I bought the house I spend hundreds os hrs a year outside trying to revive the nice green colors a lwan has to offer. Anywhere to watering 1" a week, to knifing out danylions and grubs to overseeding.

In regards to aeration. I'm having someone come in Sept. to aerate the lawn. I've seen it done but I'm lost as to what do I have to do, quations:

1-I have lots of clay in my soil, should I pick up and remove the plugs once the landscaper aerates?

2- Lawn fertilizing; should I do this before or after the areation and how long after should I apply this?

3-Finally, overseeding. When should this be done, before or after aeration (can I overseed and fertilize at the same time)?

Please help a wannabe gardener!

Comments (4)

morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
16 years ago
Make sure they do a double-pass on the aeration if the lawn is compacted and poor.

1) Nope, they'll form a nice top dress for any thatch you have and help it decompose. They'll also help cover seed.

2) If you're seeding, see 3. If not, do it after at the normal rate.

3) After so there are places for the seeds to grab hold in the holes, plus the old soil plugs will slump in water and cover the new seed. For fertilizer, use a good starter instead of a regular fertilizer at the recommended rate.
billhill
16 years ago
No need to pick up the plugs, they will decompose in place and benefit the soil. Fertilizer can be applied before or after aeration. I prefer after to allow fertilizer to get into the plug holes.
Overseeding should be done after aeration. And yes, you can seed and fertilize at the same time.
This would be an excellent time to spread some compost on your lawn. There are many benefits including amending clay soils to hold moisture better. Good luck with your house, lawn and gardens.
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I am actually glad this thread got revived. I didn't read all of it but it got me thinking. I am in NC and have clay soil and Bermuda. I had my back yard sodded a few years ago (pretty sure it's tifway 419) and right now it looks pretty good for it to be mid May. My front yard was sodded by the builder (don't know if it's common Bermuda or tifway) and just hasn't greened up like the back. The ground is definitely hard. I am following the Bermuda bible but am looking to going to a more hybrid program of synthetics and organics. I currently do use milorganite more so for the iron then anything. Anyways, my plan was to aerate next month and immediately follow it up with 10 lbs of alfalfa per 1000 sq. ft. That way I could get it deep in the soil and let the microbes do their thing. I was going to follow it up 3 weeks later with 20 lbs of alfalfa. Now that I'm reading this I'm not sure what to do. Any advice? If I do the shampoo is there any restrictions on applying fertilizer or herbicides to my yard before or after? My back yard looks good but I have this God awful broadleef weed that is spreading. I sprayed it at the beginning of the month with good results and will need to spray again at the end of the month. I also plan on fertilizing in a couple of days. Thanks in advance for the help.
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I read recently where the professionals like to break up the plugs and, essentially, use the plugs as top dressing without adding any more bulk to the soil. Adding sand brings the surface level up. Add 1/4 inch every year for a few years and pretty soon the soil is up above the curb and it looks ugly. I just posted pictures to another forum of soil that is up to 6 inches above the level of the surrounding concrete. Since you asked what fertilizer "I" recommend, I'll say ordinary corn meal applied at a rate of 10-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. If you can't get that then alfalfa pellets (rabbit food) or soybean meal are both good. Usually you can get two of those three at your local feed store in 50-pound bags for under $10.
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
I am assuming that the poster is talking about a warm season grass, considering his location. The maintenance rules change when one is talking about warm season versus cold season turf grass varieties. I'm also going to bet that he is talking about the southern practice of overseeding the permanent grass with rye grass in the fall for winter color, not seeding his lawn with permanent grass seed.

If my assumption about turf grass species is wrong....forget I said anything, lol!

Warm season grasses shouldn't be fertilized or aerated in the fall of the year. It will induce a growth response at the worst of all possible times for warm season varieties. They need to be encouraged to store energy instead of expending it. Early spring is the optimum time for aeration, and fertilization really shouldn't occur until the soil warms up a bit.

I hate that practice of overseeding in the fall. It is a terrible stress on the permanent grass. You'll have to water, and perhaps even fertilize the rye grass, which will also affect (in a very negative manner) the permanent grass. Your lawn may end up diseased and weak, and even more full of weeds.

When you do have your lawn aerated, just leave the plugs. After a few mowings, they'll disappear back into the soil. They contain a lot of organic matter (leaves, roots) that your soil will appreciate.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
It's been pointed out on another forum that our original poster is from Canada. The Southern girl in me always forgets about those wonderful PNW zone 8 locations! Now, we really need to know what kind of grass crisx is growing! ;-)

Lawn aeration, please help!

Comments (4)

morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)

billhill

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