Tuesday, March 12, 2024
HomeMust ReadWhen To Aerate Lawn Mn

When To Aerate Lawn Mn

- Advertisment -

When Should You Avoid Aerating Your Lawn

Toro Stand on Aerator How To Aerate A Lawn | Lawn Aeration Mound, Mn | Lawn Aeration Minnetrista, Mn

If your grass is brown, its not the right time! Aerating during the hot summer or during a drought will lead to root damage and suppress grass growth. Make sure your grass is green and moist.

Also, aerating too close to winter will impede strong root development before the freezing temperatures come. Your grass needs time to rejuvenate and grow after the aeration and overseeding process. In short, avoid dry periods, heat waves, or cold snaps so that your grass has the best chance of reaping the benefits of aeration.

Unlike other areas in the country, our Rock Solid team does not recommend spring aeration in Minnesota. There is too much competition for nutrients everything is starting to come alive and grow during the Spring. During the Fall you have a lot of the weeds dying off and less competition for the same nutrients, explains Jim, Rock Solid owner.

Why Aeration Is Important

Aeration helps prevent soil compaction and increases water absorption and root development, which results in greener, healthier, stunning lawns.

If your yard receives heavy use as a playground for your kids or your dog running in circles, your soil will be compacted over time. Or if you have a new build, the construction traffic will have compacted the subsoil of your yard. Soil compaction results in poor nutrient uptake and water absorption.

Aeration also helps reduce excess thatch or soil layering. If your yard dries out easily and has a spongy feel, you may have a thatch problem. Soil layering happens when new finer soil, like when installing new sod, is layered on coarser soil. This finer layer traps water and which prevents deep root growth into the lower coarser layer. Aeration helps the water reach the lower layer.

Best Time To Aerate Your Lawn In Minnesota

The best time for lawn aeration in Minnesota is early fall. Plan to aerate between the end of August and the end of September for best results.

This timing gives your lawn ample opportunity to take advantage of cool fall temperatures for impressive growth but doesnt allow weeds to invade. Aerating in early fall also avoids the pitfalls of aeration in other seasons. Spring aeration invites weeds, summer aeration can dry out your soil, and aerating too close to winter will not benefit your grass. For a greener Minnesota lawn with less hassle, make sure to aerate in autumn.

Also Check: Average Cost Of Astroturf

Why Overseed Your Lawn

Over time, heat, wear and tear and other seasonal issues can cause your lawn to look warn and thin. Overseeding your lawn is done to fill in empty patches or replace grass that is looking brown. It can improve the density of your lawn and give it a much better color. Overseeding can also help crowd out weeds with fresh green grass. If you choose a high-quality seed, it can also help improve the drought tolerance of your lawn.

How Weed Man Lawn Care Minneapolis Can Help

10 Lawn Aeration &  Overseeding Questions and Answers for ...

Beautiful yards are created by providing the best growing conditions based on a solid foundation of inputs such as fertilizers, water, seed and control products, when necessary. Core Aeration – which can be performed in the spring or fall – improves your Minneapolis lawn’s health and beauty, optimizes root development, and reduces thatch and associated problems.

It also deepens your lawns root system for greater resistance to disease, insects, drought and heat stress improves drainage and improves air, fertilizer, and water movement. It can also help reduce water usage. Overseeding is often performed in conjunction with core aeration.

Also Check: Wild Violet Herbicide Control

When Is The Best Time To Aerate

Aeration is best performed just before or during periods of high growth. However, not immediately preceding or during periods of stress to the lawn. For example, heat or drought. The type of grasses that make up your lawn will determine the best time of year to aerate.

When to Aerate if You Have Cool-Season Grasses: If youre working with cool-season grasses, including bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass, aerating during the growth periods in the spring and fall is best.

When to Aerate if You Have Warm-Season Grasses: For warm-season grasses such as Bermudagrass, buffalograss, St. Augustine and zoysiagrass, aerate during warm times of the year, between late-spring and early-autumn.

Considerations for Aerating in the Spring: In the spring, wait until youve mowed the lawn a few times before aerating. Doing so ensures the lawn will grow fast enough to recover and take advantage of the increased pore space and air exchange at the root zone that aeration creates.

One caveat, says Friell, is that any disturbance of the root zone in the spring can increase weed competition by bringing buried seeds to the surface. Applying fertilizer and a pre-emergent weed killer following aeration can reduce the potential for weed competition and increase the hardiness of the grasses. But dont apply a weed killer if you plan to overseed following aeration. It will prevent germination of the seed you put down.

Fertilizing Your Lawn And Garden

To have the best looking lawn and garden, it is important to give them what they need.

To have the best looking lawn and garden, it is important to give them what they need. Just like humans, plants and grass are living things and need food to help them grow. Along with sunlight and water, plants gather several elements from the air and soil. Fertilizer gives them the extra elements that they are not able to gather. If you dont feed them the necessary elements , you run the risk of your garden becoming barren.

In addition to making your plants look good, healthy grass also helps prevent runoff of your yard and decreases water pollution. But in order for it to be beneficial to the environment, it needs to be applied correctly and at the right time of year. Learn when to fertilize and how to fertilize your garden and lawn in Minnesota.

Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Japanese Beetle Larvae

What Is Lawn Aeration And Why Is It Necessary

  • When your soil becomes compacted, your lawn can’t breathe. Its roots can’t take in water or nutrients, which weakens your turf and opens the door for disease and weeds. Soil with a high clay content is especially likely to get compacted, as the particles squeeze together tightly, making it tough for water and oxygen to get through.
  • Aeration uses a machine to pull out tiny cores of soil from your lawn, allowing water and oxygen to get to the roots. You can almost hear your lawn sigh with relief.
  • Aeration is sometimes followed by overseeding, as the holes created by aeration are perfect new homes for grass seed.

Your Lawn And Gardens Effect On The Environment

Spring or Fall Aeration? Which is Best?

Your lawn and garden can add a lot to what your household needs to discard and recycle. Yard waste and food waste make up 13 percent of whatâs thrown into the garbage in Minnesota.

Healthy lawns and gardens can be maintained in ways that produce less waste, and you can easily manage whatâs left by composting at home. A healthy lawn and garden can naturally resist weeds and pests. You donât need a lot of chemicals to keep your yard looking green. Learn to read the signs and find out whatâs really wrong with your plants. Solve your lawn and garden problems by applying some brainpower before you use pesticides and herbicides.

Read Also: How To Fix Dead Grass From Fertilizer

Recommended Reading: What Is Preemergent

When To Aerate Your Lawn

While aeration can be done anytime during the growing season, property owners in Minnesota will have the best results if their lawns are aerated between late August and early October. Spring and summer aeration can be successful if the grass is watered on a regular, frequent schedule. The level of soil compaction present in a lawn determines how many times the aeration process will have to take place.

A landscape professional will identify whether your lawn needs aeration and recommend the best time to have the procedure completed. Aerating your lawn in the spring gives the grass an extra boost, encouraging faster greening, and aerating your lawn in the fall improves the strength of underground root systems while providing a solid base for overseeding.

Are Professionals Required For Lawn Aeration Work In St Paul Mn

It is highly recommended that you hire legitimate professionals for St Paul lawn aeration services so that you can get your moneys worth. The fact is that this type of work should only be done by professionals who know what they are doing. Those who attempt to aerate their own lawn often make common mistakes that could cost a lot of money to have fixed. If you are interested in lawn aeration because you want to improve the strength of your lawn, you will definitely want professionals to do the work.

Recommended Reading: Cost Of Getting Lawn Mowed

Regular Aeration Can Help Avoid Costly Lawn Renovation

Thatch on your lawn works like a thatched roof. This layer of roots, stems and other plant parts sheds water and prevents fertilizers and insect controls from moving freely into the soil. Thatch that is too heavy can make major lawn renovation necessary. Regular aeration helps thatch break down naturally by mixing the soil cores into the thatch and speeding up decomposition.

Performed in spring or fall, aeration significantly reduces thatch and improves turf growth. Get a Free Estimate today.

Weve been family-owned and operated since 1980, and are fully licensed and insured. Serving customers in South Minneapolis, Edina, Richfield, Bloomington and Eden Prairie.

Providing lawn service for South Minneapolis, Edina, St. Louis Park, Richfield, Bloomington, and Eden Prairie.

Certifications

  • Environmental Certification Level 1: Turfgrass Maintenance Best Practices
  • Integrated Pest Management

Benefits Of Lawn Aeration

10 Lawn Aeration &  Overseeding Questions and Answers for ...

Aeration has a host of benefits, from encouraging a fuller lawn to allowing nitrogen in fertilizer to enter the soil. If youre on the fence about whether to aerate, consider these benefits:

  • Brighter, healthier visible grass.
  • Increased water penetration down to the root layer.
  • Better nutrient absorption from fertilizer and natural sources.
  • Creates ideal circumstances for spreading grass seed.

Theres a reason so many experts treat aeration as the holy grail of lawn careit makes so many other tasks easier. If timed correctly, it provides a huge upside for your lawn.

You May Like: Does Lawn Fertilizer Go Bad

What Fertilizer Should You Use After Fall Aeration

If you do not plan to overseed your lawn after aeration, spread a fertilizer engineered for mature lawns in the northeast region. These typically contain high levels of nitrogen with some phosphorus and potassium. If your next step after aeration is to overseed, apply a lawn starter fertilizer that is high in phosphorus.

You May Like: Does Lowes Rent Riding Lawn Mowers

When Is The Best Time To Aerate A Lawn In Minnesota

This is a common question we receive from both residential and commercial clients. Aeration can be done any time during the growing season as long as temperatures are not too hot. However, we typically perform one round of lawn aeration services in the spring and fall. The first core aeration takes place after the spring clean up, lawn dethatching and first fertilizer application, most often this is mid-April through mid-May. The second core aeration is performed from mid-September to early-October to provide the turf ample time to recover before winter arrives.

If you have any additional questions about our core aerating services, get in touch with our friendly staff today by requesting a quote!

Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Johnson Grass

The Best Time To Aerate Your Lawn Is Based On 3 Conditions:

  • Type of grass in your lawn
  • Weather conditions in your area
  • Amount of moisture your lawn has received
  • Aeration can take place at any time of the year, but the best time is usually in the spring/early summer or fall.

    The general recommendation is to core aerate when there is the most root growth. For warm-season grasses: Bermuda, St. Augustine, Centipede, Zoysia, it is in May and June when these grasses are coming out of dormancy. Cool-season grasses: bluegrass, ryegrass and the fescues, receive the most benefits when the lawn is aerated in the fall.

    Why Cant I Use Seed From The Store Isnt All Grass Seed Pretty Much The Same Whats The Difference

    Yard Care Tips- Aeration & DeThaching for an Awesome DIY Lawn White Bear lake Mn
    • You can. But will you know youre getting the right kind, designed for the conditions of your yard? And will you actually know what youre getting? Bargain seed from the big box store often has weed seed mixed in. Let the pros cover your lawn with high quality, premium grass seed thats a good match for your exact conditions, provides great color and resists diseases.

    Recommended Reading: Walk Behind Brush Cutter Rental Lowes

    Best Time To Fertilize Lawn

    Fertilizing in the morning allows the soil to take in the most nutrients, soak in the morning dew and take advantage of cooler temperatures. Thats the best time. Do not apply fertilizer on an abnormally hot day, not even in the morning. Wait until the weather cools back down to a normal temperature.

    You can mow anytime after fertilizing with a granular treatment. With a liquid treatment, wait a day or two.

    Shutterstock

    Repair Lawn Damage Keep An Existing Lawn Healthy Or Install An Entirely New Lawn

    To effectively repair a lawn, or maintain a healthy lawn over time, core aeration and seeding services are necessary annually or every other year depending on your grass type. For those properties that have major damage needing to be repaired quickly, or to have an entirely new lawn, our sod installation services are for you. All of our core aeration, overseeding, and sod services are available to St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, MN, and the surrounding communities.

    Also Check: How To Use Bioadvanced Fungus Control For Lawns

    Q: How To Get The Most Out Of Lawn Aeration

    To get the most out of core aeration, it should be done when your lawn is moist. Watering your lawn the day before will ensure that the aeration process goes smoothly. However, be careful not to over water your lawn, if the lawn is too wet, otherwise this will cause issues, the soil should feel slighlty damp, not soaking wet.

    One mistake people make when aerating their own lawn is that they aerate too frequently. Aerating too frequently can actually damage your lawns roots. This is why we recommend Spring or Fall, because that is when root growth is at its greatest.

    Contact bioLawn for professional lawn aeration services. We will be sure you get the most out of you lawns aeration!

    Recommended Reading: Top Dress Lawn With Peat Moss

    Q: How Do I Know If My Lawn Needs Aeration

    7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Booking an Aerator ...

    Over time, a dense layer of dead grass builds up on your lawn. This will happen naturally over time, but it can be worse were more pressure is being put upon the grass, like places with heavy foot traffic, or where puddles often form.

    One way to quickly test if your lawn needs aeration is to poke a screwdriver or shovel into the soil. If there you are able to break through the thatch with relative ease, your lawn should be fine. However, if there is a lot of resistance, that is a sign your lawn may need aeration.

    Recommended Reading: Stay Off My Lawn Signs

    Why Is Aeration Necessary

    In most home lawns, fertile topsoil may have been removed or buried during excavation of the basement or footings, forcing grass to grow in subsoil that is more compact, higher in clay content and less likely to sustain a healthy lawn.

    Walking, playing and mowing will compact soil and stress lawns. Raindrops and irrigation further compact the soil, reducing large air spaces where roots readily grow. Compaction is greater on heavy clay soils than on sandy soils, and it is greatest in the upper 1 to 1 1/2 inches of soil.

    Aeration can help relieve soil compaction, allowing your grass to grow deeper roots and make better use of water and fertilizer.

    ROOT GROWTH Core aeration allows air, water and fertilizer to better reach the root zone. This stimulates root growth to create healthier, stronger turfgrass plants.

    Sod Installation Services Establish A Brand New Turf Quickly

    Sod is a quick and easy way to establish a new turf or completely revitalize a pre-existing turf. Homeowners looking to establish a brand new lawn or bring back a lawn with large, dead patches will want sod installation. Choosing sod comes with great benefits, including

    • Quick root growth
    • Deters weeds from growing
    • Protects against soil erosion

    Sod is . Hiring a professional lawn care company to install sod will ensure your new lawn is properly placed and cared for from the start.

    Recommended Reading: Is Mowing Lawns For Money Illegal

    When Should You Dethatch Your Lawn In Minnesota

    lawns in Minnesotato dethatch your lawnyoutoyour lawntotoyour lawn

    . Accordingly, is dethatching a lawn necessary?

    In the north, late summer or early fall before the grass goes dormant are good times to dethatch, and late spring in the south. For small areas, you can use a hand dethatching rake. Thatch builds up over time, so it’s not necessary to dethatch every year. Plan on doing it every five years or so if your lawn needs it.

    One may also ask, how do I know if my lawn has too much thatch? Walk on the lawn to see if it feels firm or spongy.The first thing that gives you a hint at whether or not your lawn needs to be dethatched is the feel of it. Walk around for awhile and see if the ground feels firm. If it feels spongy, or almost bouncy, that’s a sign that the thatch has gotten too thick.

    One may also ask, when should you Dethatch a lawn?

    The lawn should be dethatched when it is actively growing and the soil is moderately moist. The best time of year for dethatching is the same as for aerating: early spring or early fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring through early summer for warm-season grasses.

    Is it better to dethatch or aerate?

    Thatching is sometimes called dethatching. It removes a dead layer of roots and stems that is found between the grass base and the native soil. This is more stressful to your lawn than aerating is, and is generally only done if your lawn is thinning out due to thick thatch, according to Organic Lawn DIY.

    RELATED ARTICLES
    - Advertisment -

    Popular Articles

    - Advertisment -