There’s nothing better than a lush lawn that lets you spend time with your family in the back yard, laughing and having fun. But, to keep grass healthy, techniques such as overseeding and aeration are important. This leads us to the question, “when is the best time to aerate and overseed your lawn?”
The Best Time To Aerate Your Lawn
For the best results when overseeding, our lawn aeration service advises you aerate before planting. The purpose of aeration is to break up the soil and allow it to breathe. That way new grass roots can penetrate deeper into the soil and have access to more nutrients. When should you aerate cool-season grasses and warm-season grasses?
The trick is to aerate right before overseeding. The best time to have lawn care services aerate your lawn in Midwest locations is usually around August or September. In warmer states, aerate in late spring or early summer.
The Best Time To Overseed Grass
Overseeding means planting new grass to fill in any bare or worn patches. This is helpful for having a gorgeous lawn that looks thick and healthy all year long. The best time to overseed depends on two factors: where you live and what kind of grass you prefer.
Many homeowners in northern states choose cool-season grasses, and southern areas often select warm-season grasses. Each type of grass has distinctive growth patterns and needs, so make sure to speak with our lawn professionals if you’re not sure what variety to choose. Here are the optimal overseeding times for several locations and grass types:
- Pacific Northwest (Washington and Oregon): Plant new grasses about six weeks before the first projected snowfall. These are generally cool-season grasses.
- Southwest U.S. (California and Arizona): Early spring is the best time for overseeding in these areas.
- Southern states (Georgia, Florida and Texas): April, May and June are good times to overseed in this huge area. The best time may vary each year depending on soil temperatures. You want warm-season grass to have a cozy environment to germinate in.
- Northeast states (Vermont and Maine): Due to the cold temperatures prevalent in these areas, it’s best to start planting grass seeds in August or September to give them some time to grow before winter hits.
- Midwest U.S. (Missouri, Illinois and Minnesota): Weather conditions vary quite a bit depending on how far north you live, but a safe bet is to overseed lawns by the end of August or early September at the latest.
The reason for these specific seeding times is to give grass a chance to develop strong roots. That way they grow strong and stand up to pests and other problems well.
Why Are Yearly Aeration and Overseeding Important?
The idea behind lawn aeration and overseeding is to strengthen your entire lawn. By filling in empty or bare spots with new grass, you do more than make your lawn look beautiful; you actually increase its resistance to pests. With a thick, lush and uniform bed of grass, it’s harder for weeds to take hold, which makes taking care of grass easier, too.
Aeration breaks up compacted soil so water and other life-giving lawn nutrients can reach roots easily. This has a huge effect on grass health and growth. In fact, even if your lawn is gorgeous and green all over, you should still aerate in the growing season to keep things that way.
Enjoy an Amazing Lawn Without Lifting a Finger
Your lawn gives you so much – from perfect sunrises with coffee to memories of your kids laughing and playing. Make sure it always looks gorgeous by performing regular aeration and overseeding. Contact our professionals at Lush Lawn for expert advice and assistance in keeping your lawn healthy all year long. We take care of everything so you only have to worry about relaxing and enjoying the view.