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Fall Lawn Care: Aeration and Overseeding for a Healthier Lawn Next Spring

Fall is one of our favorite times of the year, and your lawn loves it too. As we say goodbye to summer, cooler temperatures create the perfect conditions for your grass to regain its strength before the weather turns cold.

At the top of your fall lawn care to-do list should be aeration and overseeding. You’ve probably heard about these two steps. Aeration is the simple process of removing plugs of dirt from your lawn to allow air to circulate. And overseeding is a healthy replenishment of grass seed to get your lawn thick and replace any grass that didn’t fare as well in the hot sun.

Benefits of Aeration and Overseeding

Aeration and overseeding provide several benefits to your lawn; benefits you’ll notice most when the blades start to reboot around early spring next year. Think of aeration and overseeding as laying the groundwork for a healthy spring lawn.
lawn aeration
Aerating and overseeding help in the following ways.

  1. Builds a Thicker Lawn
    The summer sun can leave bare spots on your lawn. Overseeding these spots now will give new seeds time to grow secure root systems while the weather is still mild.
  2. Relieves Ground Compaction
    The more you walk on your lawn, the more the dirt beneath your feet gets compacted. Aerating your lawn after a long summer spent outdoors in the backyard will loosen the soil. The less compact the soil, the easier it is for roots to grow deep into the ground. Aeration is especially important in Southeastern PA where our soil is dense with clay. Clay compacts easily and grass can have trouble growing through it without proper aeration.
  3. Makes it Easier for Grass to Grab onto Nutrients
    Aerating the soil creates an opening for water and air to flow to the grass’ root zone. It also makes room for fertilizers and nutrients including those our lawn care specialists use to treat grasses.

Aeration and Overseeding Should be Done Hand-in-Hand

aeration and overseedingThese two treatments work best when done together. We’ve seen too many homeowners over the years spread grass seed over bare spots in the fall, throw on the sprinkler, and then wonder why those bare spots are still visible in the spring.

Without proper aeration, your grass seed will sit on top of compacted soil and never reach the depth it needs for its roots to take hold. Likewise, when you take the time to aerate, that’s the time to also add seed and nutrients so you’re caring for the existing grass and prepping new seeds.

And even if your lawn looks lush right now, make aeration and overseeding a part of your fall lawn care maintenance routine. It’s a good, healthy step to take to keep your grass green and lush.

Our lawn care experts will keep your lawn healthy with our annual fall aeration and overseeding services. We use high-quality, professional, nutrient-rich fertilizers to keep your lawn looking healthy and green. Contact us to schedule an appointment.