In talking to homeowners over the years, I common question I get asked is, “When should I aerate my lawn.” The correct answer for optimal lawn aeration is it depends. Although aerating will almost always benefit the soil, there are certain time of the year when aerating does the most good. The best time to aerate depends a lot on the soil, the climate and where you are geographically located. For instance, winter lawn aeration will work great in Southern California, but not in most other parts of the country.
The most popular aerating time in most States in the Spring. This ranges from mid February to the middle of May. The reason why this time is so popular is because the benefits of aeration can easily be combined with over seeding and fertilizing to help you give your lawn a tune up and have it looking its best. In order for grass seed to in quickly, average daily temperatures should be in at least in the mid 60s, low should not go below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Spring is also a good time to aerate because the turf is starting to actively grow and this means you can reap the most benefit aerating lawn. If your lawn is soggy or damp most of the year, summer lawn aeration is the best for you to do. One of the main benefits of lawn aerating if to prevent expanding clay from hardening your lawn in summer weather .
Fall aeration helps out the most in areas of the country where lawns go dormant over the winter. If your grass grows all year long, (Like in Oregon and Washington) Fall aeration can be combined with shade seed over seeding. Another nice advantage is that there are a lot less weeds in the Fall. This will keep your lawn full in the winter and also help to prevent seasonal moss infestations.