Your lawn might not scream for help, but if it’s looking thin, patchy, or tired, it’s probably begging for some breathing room.
That’s where lawn aeration and overseeding come in. These are two of the most effective lawn care services for creating thicker, greener grass in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Got questions before you dive in? Here are the answers homeowners ask us most.
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.
Lawn aeration pulls out plugs of soil, creating spaces so that air and water can penetrate, which leads to healthier roots.
Healthier roots make for a healthier, thicker lawn, better able to resist pests and diseases and tolerate summer’s heat and drought.
Lawn aeration also helps break down thatch.
Thatch is a layer of dead grass and stems that sits between the grass blades and the soil.
When lawn aeration removes plugs from the thatch, it helps it decompose, so oxygen, nutrients, and moisture can get to the roots.
Want a deeper dive into the benefits of aeration? Check out our Essential Guide to Lawn Aeration & Overseeding.
Leave the plugs right there. They’ll decompose and add valuable nutrients to your lawn.
Some people rake them up, because they think they’re unsightly. That’s depriving your lawn of a good nutrient boost.
Don’t worry — they’ll break down and disappear before you know it.
Can the machine damage these things in my yard? How do I prevent that?
With the highest-level aeration services, we'll flag your sprinkler heads so we don’t hit them. Then, we’ll readjust your irrigation controller for the different watering schedule the new seed needs.
You can either mark the invisible dog fence or we offer that service for a small additional charge.
Learn how our lawn irrigation services pair perfectly with lawn seeding and seasonal timing.
If your lawn is thick and healthy, you might not need overseeding. But if there are thin spots, or you see fungus or disease, those are signs some fresh, quality seed can do your lawn some real good.
Also consider this: it’s a good idea to introduce new varieties of high-quality grass seed into your lawn occasionally, no matter what type of grass you have.
New, improved seed is always being developed that’s more resistant to drought, insects, disease or has other impressive qualities.
There's really no better time to seed than right after aeration.
All those little holes are the perfect receptacles for seed to soil contact. Might as well take advantage of it.
You can. But will you know you’re getting the right kind, designed for the conditions of your yard? And will you actually know what you’re 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 that’s a good match for your exact conditions, provides great color and resists diseases.
First, be patient. This isn’t like “The Wizard of Oz” where you go to bed before aeration in black and white and wake up after to a world in color.
Results take time.
You’ll start to see new grass sprouting in a few weeks, but you might not notice true results for a few months to a year.
Keep in mind that even at a sod farm, it takes new grass seed 6-10 months to get to a point where sod can be harvested.
Don’t expect overnight magic, lawn growth takes time. You’ll likely see small improvements within a few weeks, but real results (like thicker, more resilient turf) will become more obvious after one or two full growing seasons. It’s a long game, but a worthwhile one.
It depends on the condition of your lawn, its soil, and grass species.
Some lawns benefit from aeration every year. Some, every other year. Some lawns need aeration, but not seeding.
If your lawn was sodded in the past few years or has certain grass species, it may need aeration every year. It’s really an individual situation.
We’re happy to take a look and tell you if your lawn could benefit. And, we’ll tell you if it won’t.
You should water the opposite of how you’d normally water. Newly-seeded lawns need frequent watering for short periods of time vs. the less frequent and deeper watering established lawns require.
Plan to water 3-4 times a day for about 10 minutes at a time. Your goal is to keep the new seed moist, but not soaking wet.
If we have access to your irrigation controller, we’ll set it to the right times for you. No extra charge.
Sure, you can do it yourself. But think twice. For one thing, you’ll have to rent the aerator. Do you have a trailer? And lots of muscles? These beasts weigh 300-400 pounds.
These machines rattle every bone in your body as you wrestle them across the lawn, lifting and lurching as they create the holes. Plan to spend most of the day, if you have a big yard. And don’t plan much the next day, either. It’ll really hurt to move.
If you damage any irrigation components, repairs can be expensive. If we aerate your lawn and damage a sprinkler head, we’ll fix any repairs at no charge.
Or, let the pros do it. We’re used to these monsters, and we can follow up with high quality grass seed perfectly matched to your yard’s conditions.
Okay, so you probably can’t hear your lawn gasping for air, but if it’s compacted, it probably is.
But you have better things to do than worry about your lawn.
Consider it a team effort. Aeration and seeding is just one part of a custom nutrition plan for your lawn, so the roots will be nourished, the soil packed with nutrients, and your grass thick and healthy.
You just make sure your lawn gets mowed properly and enjoy your life. Sound like a good plan?
Ready to give your lawn room to breathe and grow thicker before winter? Our team in Eau Claire and Minneapolis will handle the aeration, overseeding, seed selection, and irrigation adjustments — so you can just enjoy the results.
Request a quote today, and let’s help your lawn recover stronger than ever.