Can You Seed After Aerating a Lawn?

Aerating and Dethatching

• Perform aeration in conjunction with dethatching when necessary. Thatch is a layer of tightly bound debris at the soil's upper level. The thatch strains the roots and keeps them from growing as deeply as they should for a healthy lawn. The result of dense thatch is a shallow root grouping that doesn't allow moisture to transfer nitrogen and other nutrients to the grass. Thatch also keeps water at the top of the soil, robbing what few roots have grown deeper of water and minerals. Use a dethatching tool annually to remove the thatch and allow the roots from the new seeds to grow deep into the soil.

Pulverize Plugs

• Breaking up the plugs removed during aeration into smaller clumps of soil provides the necessary soil bed consistency for the newly planted grass seeds. Grass seeds thrive when in direct contact with moist soil. Break the plugs with a garden rake. Rake the lawn after aerating the soil and once again after spreading the seeds.

Spread the Seeds Properly

• Performing overseeding a section of your lawn by hand restores a damaged or thinning patch. The average seed spreading should leave 15 to 20 seeds per square inch. When seeding the entire lawn, use an automatic seed spreader ensuring as even of a seed spread as possible over a larger area. Choose the type of seeds that thrives in your climate. Choose from a variety of seeds that grow effectively in your area and during the time of year you aerate and seed your lawn.

Consider the Time of Year

• The best times of year for seeding your lawn depends on the climate. Generally, mid to late spring and early fall are ideal times for aerating and seeding your lawn. The more direct sun exposure of summer poses a challenge to new seedlings because of the effort necessary to keep the soil moist enough for healthy growth. Aerating the lawn first allows the late spring/early fall rain to have the greatest effect on the soil and grass roots.