Should I Aerate and Overseed My Lawn?

Aeration and overseeding are two of the most beneficial things you can do to maintain and improve a healthy lawn and solve two of the most common lawn problems.

Soil and Thatch
Aeration solves two problems that afflict lawns; compact soil and thatch. Some soils are clay based and are naturally compacted. Try pushing your finger through a concrete block. That is what it feels like for a tender root trying to grow through our soils. Aeration breaks up the soil structure and creates spaces for the roots to grow faster, deeper and stronger.



Thinning Lawn
Your lawn goes through a lot of stress: pet waste, excessive foot traffic, environmental factors, heat, shade and a lack of water. All of these things make it break down and can result in thinning and bare areas. Overseeding fills the bare areas of your lawn and thickens the existing turf. The process of overseeding basically introduces new plants to the lawn so that it can be thicker and hardier.

Long-Term Benefits
Thatch is a buildup of dead grass materials that lies below the living lawn. If left unchecked, thatch becomes a breeding ground for harmful diseases and insects. Aerating punches holes through the thatch and allows air to circulate. The more air that circulates, the faster the dead grass buildup breaks down.

The stronger and healthier a lawn is, the better it can out-compete weeds such us crabgrass, nutsedge, dandelions and others. By creating a healthy and lush lawn, the weeds have less space to grow and cannot readily get needed resources such as water and nutrients. Through aerating and overseeding, you are giving your lawn its best chance to thrive and be healthy.

Bruce Allentuck
Bruce Allentuck is president of Allentuck Landscaping Co., an award-winning landscaping firm with over 25 years of experience in Clarksburg, Maryland.The focus of Allentuck Landscaping is residential services, including building and caring for landscapes. The business has a weekly blog with many helpful gardeningtips and ideas