As the weather starts to turn cooler, we’re hearing from many of our clients who want to know whether they should aerate their lawn. Aeration has many benefits. The removed plugs decrease soil compaction, allowing nutrients, air, and water to more easily reach the roots of your lawn. This leads to stronger, healthier growth and better weed control. Because of these benefits, we recommend that Calgarians aerate during the early spring. Your lawn is full of fresh energy after a winter of sleeping, and it will quickly fill up the holes. But should Calgarians being aerating in autumn as well?

Probably Not.

If you already have your yard aerated during the spring, you likely won’t need to have it done again in autumn. The average Calgarian’s yard just doesn’t see enough foot traffic and use to heavily compress soil within a single season. Of course, if you forgot to schedule your aeration earlier this year, it’s a good idea to try and squeeze one in now before the ground freezes.

Exceptions Apply.

While residential yards, in general, won’t need to be aerated again this fall, that isn’t true for all circumstances. Kids and pets running around or adults taking leisurely strolls through an area can cause a lot of soil compaction quite quickly. If you run a small daycare out of your home or simply have a lot of foot traffic, aerating again this autumn won’t hurt your lawn, and it may help give it a boost come spring. If you notice your yard dries out quickly or has a sort of spongy feel when you walk on it, your lawn is likely suffering from excessive thatch, and aerating can help with that.

Similarly, if you just bought a newly constructed home, the yard around your house is likely compacted from the work. The top soil may even be buried under a tight layer of subsoil. In this case, aerating in both spring and fall for a couple years will help give your lawn the extra nutrients and water it needs to become established. If you recently resodded with the fresh layer of sod placed on top of older soil, this advice applies to you as well.

Get the Most out of Aeration.

So you’ve decided that your lawn is an exception, and you’ve scheduling a fall aeration. Now what? The most important thing is making sure your yard isn’t bone dry. Assuming it doesn’t rain, you’ll want to water your lawn deeply the day before our Calgary landscapers come to your home. After our team has aerated the yard, give the plugs a few days to dry out completely. Then mow your lawn to break up the plugs. Since watering and mowing are necessary for getting the most out of your aeration, it’s a good idea to schedule our team before the snow sticks around.

While most Calgarians won’t see a benefit from aerating twice a year, you may be the exception! Schedule your fall aeration with our Calgary landscaping team today, and ensure your lawn goes into winter ready for a healthy spring. Call Five-Star Landscaping today to book your yard before the snow.