Should Lawns Be Aerated?

Is lawn aeration necessary? Almost all lawns will benefit from aeration, and a great lawn demands it. That said, most lawns do not need it. Lawns suffering from heavy foot traffic, excessive thatch (>1 inch thick) or grown on heavy soils will benefit most.

Do you really need to aerate your lawn?

No, it's not necessary to aerate your lawn every year, especially if your grass is healthy and thriving. Aeration is good if you've got compacted, poor or clay-heavy soil that's been impacted by heavy equipment or lots of foot traffic. It's also good to aerate if you are renovating a yard or installing a new one.

When should lawns be aerated?

You want to aerate the lawn when your grass is in its peak growing period so it can recover quickly—think early spring or fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring through early summer for warm-season grasses.