How Aeration & Overseeding Go Together Like Peas and Carrots

Peanut butter and jelly; peas and carrots; and Chip n’ Dale: Some things go better together. And when it comes to your lawn, aeration and overseeding are no different. Of course, aeration and overseeding are essential to a lush green lawn, and you can’t go wrong with either. 

But when you add them together, the results are *chef’s kiss* magic. Why is that? Well, the nature and timing of both work in such a way that multiplies the effectiveness of both, giving you just what you want – a healthy and beautiful lawn.

What is Lawn Aeration?

Aeration is one of those beautiful words that mean almost precisely what they sound like. Grass aeration improves your lawn by literally adding space (or, you could say – air) into it. The process is done by poking holes into the yard and pulling bits of core up. 

Over time, your ground can become compact. Compaction can make your lawn less even because we have specific spots in our yards that get more traffic. When the soil is dense, it becomes more difficult for healthy lawn growth. 

Some ways of aeration work better than others. For example, just poking holes without pulling up the core can sometimes create more compaction in places, so it is essential that you have the correct equipment and don’t just, say, go outside in cleats.

Grass aeration helps growth by de-compacting the lawn. As the aerator goes over the grass, it pulls up compacted earth and thatch. Opening up the soil allows for more water, air, and nutrients.

Hold On…What’s Thatch? 

Thatch is a layer of organic material that gets in the way of your lawn. Thatch is composed of plant parts – both living and dead. Most yards have thatch; a small amount can be beneficial as an insulation provider for your grass.  

But too much of it can block successful and healthy grass growth and make lawn mowing more difficult. Keeping your lawn healthy helps create an ecosystem with micro-organisms that keep your thatch under control. 

Grass aeration helps keep your lawn healthy and vibrant. 

What Is the Best Time for Aeration?

The best time for aeration depends on your lawn. We always recommend talking to EKG lawn care to get to the heart of your lawn needs. EKG can help you decide whether and when you should aerate your lawn. The most common times for aeration are Spring and Fall. 

What is Overseeding? 

Overseeding is adding grass seeds to your lawn. Overseeding promotes growth by adding new life to your yard so that you don’t have bare spots that allow weeds to move in.

How Do You Overseed?

Some people overseed their lawns by hand, simply covering the bare spots. While this may seem like a straightforward money-saver, it’s not the most efficient or effective way to overseed your lawn. 

It’s best to use professional equipment for distributing seeds evenly. A professional lawn care company will be able to spread seed effectively across your lawn, promoting healthy growth and finding the spots that may not be as obvious at first glance. 

Fall Aeration and Overseeding Vs. Spring Aeration

Although professionals may do core aeration at different times of the year, the most common times are fall and spring. 

At that time, the lawn is ready to grow, and you don’t have to deal with the extreme temperature of summer or winter. 

The best season for overseeding is the fall. In autumn, temperatures are perfect for growth, and the weather isn’t too dry or too wet. As a result, you don’t have to worry about seeds drying out or washing away, at least not as much. 

And the absolute perfect time for overseeding is after fall aeration.

Why Are Combining Aeration and Overseeding so Important? 

So why do aeration and overseeding go together like peas and carrots? 

• Aeration and overseeding are important elements of lawn maintenance and a healthy lawn. 
• Overseeding promotes growth, and grass aeration helps growth. 

 But combining the two gives you the perfect combination! 

Aerating the lawn is already improving soil health, which creates the ideal condition for planting seeds. Then when you overseed, the seeds are not forced into overly compacted soil, and the seeds have more access to nutrients, water, and air. 

You have no reason not to combine the two and everything to gain!

Bare Spots, Holes, and Weeds

In addition to de-compacting the soil, aeration and overseeding have other benefits. We’ve already discussed the aesthetic benefits of removing bare spots from the lawn, but how about preventing other issues from arising?

By preventing the ground from being too compact, the yard can stay even and prevent holes and lower spots in the lawn.

The bare spots being filled with new seeds promptly also helps prevent weeds from coming in. 

Wait, Aeration Prevents Weeds, TOO?!

In martial arts, there’s a famous saying that the best defense against an attack is not to be there. 

Well, the best defense for weeds is to be there – if you’re grass, that is. If something is already growing and healthy, it makes it harder for weeds to get a foothold.

On a weed-related sidenote, one of the mistakes that people sometimes make with aeration and overseeding is spraying weed killers too early. When weed killer is sprayed too soon after overseeding, it can cause undue stress on growing grass seeds and prevent a healthy lawn from growing. 

Keep It Watered

One of the reasons that we mentioned for fall aeration and overseeding is the weather. There is moisture but not too much. There is warmth but not excessive heat. It’s a perfect time!

But, let’s face it. The seasons sometimes don’t seem like they read the dictionary entry for how they’re supposed to behave!

Sometimes, summer can be cold. Sometimes winter can be warm. And sometimes, you get a dry spell right after you did a beautiful job aerating and overseeding in the fall. It’s important to ensure your lawn gets plenty of water after overseeding, especially if you are going through a dry season.

That’s a lot of information! Luckily, you don’t have to remember all of it. You just have to pick a company that will put their heart into your lawn, like EKG Lawn Services.