Is Pairing Aeration & Overseeding Actually Necessary?

Sometimes, even the best gardeners struggle to maintain a perfect lawn, especially considering the ever-changing weather conditions we see here in Macomb, MI. If your lawn looks a little thin or patchy, aeration and overseeding can bring it back to life with lush green growth. They both serve different purposes to achieve the same goal: healthy grass blades. Core aeration essentially relieves soil compaction while overseeding encourages thicker grass growth.

Our company offers top-quality lawn care services to help your lawn reach its highest potential. We can help you determine exactly what your lawn needs to maintain healthy and continuous growth. Continue reading to see why aeration and overseeding should always be paired together.

Core aeration creates better circulation within your soil and root system.

Core aeration involves the use of a specialized machine to remove hundreds of small cores of soil from your lawn. To accomplish this, we use a machine with rows of hollow prongs to extract these cores.

These holes allow nutrients, moisture, and oxygen to efficiently reach your lawn's root system and soil. Core aeration remains the superior option when it comes to relieving soil compaction because aeration machines provide even and accurate core extractions.

Overseeding gives you a thicker lawn.

Overseeding is the process of spreading grass seed over an existing lawn to encourage fuller growth. Typically, we use a lawn spreader to distribute the seeds as evenly as possible. Our team may also seed small, hard-to-reach areas by hand. Homeowners who are struggling with bare patches or thinning areas within their lawn would greatly benefit from an overseeding service.

Not only do you gain a fuller lawn, but your grass is now more resilient and less susceptible to damaging lawn diseases and insects. A thicker lawn also means less room for invasive weeds to grow.

Why should core aeration and overseeding be done together?

You can aerate a lawn without overseeding and overseed without aerating, but we strive to perform an overseeding service directly after core aeration. The two services work hand-in-hand to maximize the health of your grass and generate new growth. Protected from high winds, excessive heat, and pests, seeds inside the holes make better contact with the soil, leading to higher germination rates. What if you try overseeding without aeration or vice versa? Will it still lead to a thick, green lawn? Let’s go over the most likely effects.

Overseeding Without Aeration

Some homeowners are tempted to overseed their lawn without having it aerated first. Without question, new grass will grow. However, the results will prove far inferior to overseeding after core aeration because:

• Fewer seeds will reach the soil and germinate
• Seeds will blow away, especially from dry patches
• Some seeds will not germinate due to exposure

Aerating Without Overseeding

On the other side, some homeowners understand the benefits of core aeration but aren’t familiar with overseeding or don’t see the point in seeding an existing lawn. Aeration can help a weak, patchy lawn recover but usually won't do much for bare or thin spots—that’s where laying new seed is vital.

When to Aerate and Overseed Your Lawn

Fall is generally the best time to aerate and overseed. Specifically, we recommend you have these two services performed in mid-September. Why? During the summer, your lawn sees heavy foot traffic that compresses the soil, making it difficult for the root system to absorb the nutrients and moisture it needs. For warm-season grass, we recommend aerating in the fall and spring.

Take Control of Your Lawn with Aeration and Overseeding

Has your lawn seen better days? Have you noticed thin or yellow patches? Give your lawn the TLC it desperately needs with a core aeration and overseeding service. We offer our services to properties in Macomb, Shelby, and surrounding cities in MI. Give our team a call at (586) 200-0855 to schedule a service for your home today!