A lush, beautiful lawn tremendously increases the curb appeal of your home. Growing such a lawn is not an easy task. One crucial duty is to aerate your lawn to keep it looking its best.
We often mention the need to aerate our lawns, but the burning question now is……what to do after aerating your lawn?
After aeration, your lawn will easily absorb water and nutrients. Ignore extra soil, soil plugs, or holes – they’ll disappear later. Seed your grass – even overseed the thinning or bare parts. Fertilize, then water deeply but infrequently. Stay off your lawn for about a month. New growth should appear towards the end of that month. Then mow your grass sparingly. Result? A stunning and desirable lawn!
Points to remember are that it’s essential to attend to the lawn aeration properly and at precisely the right time. Regular maintenance then goes a long way in ensuring your lawn is healthy and thick.
In this article, we remind you of the importance of aeration and, most significantly, we give you information on the post aeration procedure, which plays a vital part in having a lawn that is the talk of the neighborhood!
What to do after Aerating Lawn?
You need to maintain your lawn several weeks after aeration properly. Your lawn will be able to absorb water and nutrients easily after aeration. Your grass will have healthier root systems and vibrant blades.
Here are some pro tips on what to do after aerating the lawn.
Allow extra soil or soil plugs to dry.
Allow excess soil or soil plugs to dry where they fall. They are sea beds that will crumble, dissolve, break down, and disappear anyway over time or when you mow.
They will then add beneficial organic matter and soil to your lawn after two or three weeks.
The soil plugs will decompose and fill the holes created by the aeration machine.
Do not bother with the holes.
Allow extra soil or soil plugs to dry where they fall. Leave them alone because they will disappear after a few weeks.
When they germinate, these plugs or holes will be filled with the root system of the new grass and will vanish and leave your lawn with a new refreshed and lush look.
Seed your grass.
Reseed the portion of your lawn with bare or thinning grass. Overseeding should be done immediately after aerating your lawn.
The seeds will mix with the soil plugs and now access non-compacted soil after aeration. The holes created by the aerator will allow nutrients and seeds to get in direct contact with soil.
It will also create fresh pathways for the roots for everything they need. This will make seed establishment quicker, so your lawn will be thick and lush in no time.
Apply Fertilizer.
Apply fertilizer after aerating to allow the roots of the grass to access nutrients immediately. This will allow your grass to grow healthy, thick, and looking its best quickly before the summer heat.
A healthy and thick lawn prevents the growth of weeds.
Water the grass.
Water deeply but infrequently. This watering method will encourage the deeper growth of roots. It also encourages a robust lawn that is tolerant of drought.
Water deeply until you have light puddles on your lawn. Water your lawn every day until the seeds, or at least most of them, have germinated. Water more areas that are always exposed to sunlight.
The first month after aeration, new grass should have grown to be about 2 inches tall. You can then water your lawn only once a day.
Water in the morning. Watering at night can increase the chances of fungus growth and disease.
Remove fallen leaves.
Immediately remove fallen leaves because they may compromise your new turf. Use a leaf blower to avoid damage to your lawn.
Mow your Lawn.
Mow your lawn sparingly. Cut the grass to about 3 ½ inches to ensure strong grass and an increased root system. Grass at this length can grow quickly and deeper. This length will also make your lawn look tall.
Make sure to check the dryness of the soil’s core before you mow. It is also best to remove the catcher of your lawnmower.
Mowing will break the core of the soil, and without the mower’s catcher, it will return to the lawn, and the dry plugs will be redistributed throughout your lawn.
Change your mowing direction every week. Make sure to cut only less than one-third of the leaf.
Keep off the grass.
Stay away from your lawn or limit foot traffic when possible for a month after aeration and reseeding. The seeds will germinate within the first month. Restricting foot traffic will allow the seeds to grow roots properly and fast-track the growth of your lawn.
Be patient.
New seeds will germinate after about 21 days or longer. Continue watering your lawn to prevent the seedlings from drying and dying because they are not entirely rooted in the soil.
Keep in mind these tips on what to do after aerating the lawn to ensure that yours will reach its full potential for health, thickness, and beauty.
Seeding after Aeration
After aeration is the best time to seed your lawn, seeding is the process of planting new grass seed on your lawn. It is the best way to enhance the appearance of your lawn after aeration.
Your lawn will be ready for overseeding and fertilizing immediately after proper aeration. The holes created by aeration will allow the seeds to have good exposure to the soil. Aeration also allows the roots to receive the fertilizer directly.
Your lawn will benefit from newly planted seeds after the aeration because they will fill up the bare spots on your lawn.
Lawn Care after Aeration
Your lawn will need proper maintenance after the first several weeks after aeration and seeding.
Here is a step-by-step guide on what to do to ensure successful germination of the seeds and the establishment of a better-looking lawn.
Here is what you need to do after aeration and seeding.
Weeks 1 and 2
Your main goal after aeration and seeding is to keep the ground moist to allow seeds to germinate properly. Water your lawn every day for at least 20 minutes. Water your lawn to about ¼ inch deep. Be sure your watering does not wash away the seeds before germination.
Weeks 3 and 4
During this time, the grass seed will have started to germinate and grow. Continue watering your lawn to ensure the soil is moist. Remember not to make the ground soggy.
Reduce watering to 3 to 4 times per week instead of daily to maintain moisture needed by the new seeds.
Cut the lawn once it reaches 4 inches high. Do not water your lawn the day before mowing because it needs to be dry.
Set the lawnmower to the highest level. Make sure not to cut the grass too short. Your new grass needs enough time to mature and establish a rooting system, so it is still prone to scalping.
Week 4 and after
The new seeds will have established during this time. It is now safe to mow your lawn as needed. It is still essential, though, for your lawn to receive gentle care during this time to prevent any damage to your newly-seeded lawn.
Continue watering your lawn twice a week. Make sure your grass receives about 1 inch of water every week.
Long-Term Watering
There is a different watering method after aeration and seeding and within the first few weeks of your new grass from regular watering. You will need to wait until your new lawn is established before getting back to your normal watering schedule.
When the roots of your new grass are still not as deep, it will be more susceptible to drought damage. It is, therefore, necessary, even in the long term, to give your lawn the water it needs. Sticking to the one-inch-per-week method is a good idea.
Final Thoughts
To continuously promote a thriving and beautiful lawn, you should consider aeration and overseeding once a year. It will ensure that you have a healthy and thick lawn.
We can all talk about the benefits of aerating a lawn. It’s a relatively simple process – if you know what you’re doing -to keep your lawn healthy and lush.
However, it’s all well and good aerating – which is essential; but it’s equally important what happens after the aerating process. What’s the point of aerating and preparing the ground if you don’t follow through with the post-aeration procedure?
Be patient during the post aerating process and the waiting time after that. There will be no instant results. Overall health and deeper root growth may improve immediately after aeration. Visual results will typically be noticeable after the second or third aeration.
All that hard work does pay off if done properly. New grass will grow strong and healthy, and your lawn will be lush and the envy of the neighbors!
Remember to follow through with the post-aeration process and follow up with this each time you aerate your lawn.
You’ll find your beautifully lush and verdant lawn ends up being the envy of the neighborhood! Job well done!
Jennie Marie
Tribal Writer
Edited By
Patricia Godwin
