BEST OVERALL: Agri-Fab 45-0544 40-Inch Spike Aerator.BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Gardzen Plug Aeration, Hand Hollow Tine Lawn Aerator.BEST MANUAL: Yard Butler Lawn Coring Aerator.BEST HEAVY DUTY: Agri-Fab 45-0299 48-Inch Tow Plug Aerator.

Which is better spike or plug aerator?

Plug aerators are usually more effective at relieving compaction in lawns with a heavy clay soil since the solid tines used on spike aerators compact the clay soil further when they push into the ground. … Soils that crumble easily are usually high in loam and sand which benefit more from the use of a spike aerator.

How do I keep my lawn aerator from clogging?

1) The ground must be reasonably soft. I’d suggest a deep watering of the area you are going to aerate the day before. 2) You must keep the inside of the hole cutting prongs completely clean. If you let any dirt dry hard on the inside of the prongs, then the plugs will not come out when you plunge this into the ground.

What size aerator do I need for my lawn?

Known as a core aerator, it extracts 1/2 to 3/4 inch diameter cores of soil and deposits them on your lawn. Aeration holes are typically 1-6 inches deep and 2-6 inches apart. Other types of aerators push solid spikes or tines into the soil without removing a plug (spiking).

Can I aerate my lawn too much?

Can You Aerate Your Lawn Too Much? Aeration is excellent for your grass, but you can certainly make the case of too much of a good thing here. Core aeration, in particular, can cause a lot of damage in the process. You need to give your grass time to recover from that damage and make repairs.

How far apart should holes be when aerating lawn?

Make sure you’re aerating the entire lawn. You’ll also want to space the holes evenly, about three to four inches apart.

Should I rake up the plugs after aerating?

The holes left in the ground reduce compaction in soil, which keeps water and nutrients from getting to grass roots and allows the roots to spread freely. Aerating also helps breaks up the thatch layer. … You don’t have to rake the plugs left by aerating, but doing so gets nutrients back into the soil faster.

Should I fertilize before or after aeration?

In most cases, aerating is best before laying fertilizer as it allows for more oxygen and deeper growth of grass roots. If you have compact soil or clay soil, it is especially crucial to aerate before so that the fertilizer reaches deeper roots.

Should I Dethatch before aerating?

It is best to dethatch first before aerating your lawn. This way, you’ll remove the excess debris and promote healthy root development. Aerating is best done when there’s the problem of compaction.

How do I hand aerate my lawn?

To aerate the soil in potted plants, water the soil, then get pointed sticks (like chopsticks) and gently poke the soil to loosen it. Lawn aeration is an essential lawn care process that promotes proper penetration and circulation of air, nutrients, and water in the soil.

Article first time published on

Does TruGreen aerate?

Fall is the perfect time to aerate your lawn to ensure your beautiful lawn is in tip top shape for next spring. Schedule your aeration service today with TruGreen®. So, you’ve decided to aerate your lawn – go you! Fall is actually the perfect time to schedule this service.

Should I seed after aeration?

Within 48 hours after you aerate you should over seed, fertilize, and water your lawn. The seed, fertilizer, and water will have the best chance to get down into the holes made by the aerator if applied soon after aeration. … If the fertilizer contains weed control, your grass seed won’t germinate properly.

Is aerating your lawn worth it?

Is lawn aeration necessary? Almost all lawns will benefit from aeration, and a great lawn demands it. That said, most lawns do not need it. Lawns suffering from heavy foot traffic, excessive thatch (>1 inch thick) or grown on heavy soils will benefit most.

What should I put on my lawn after aerating?

Apply fertilizer immediately after aerating your lawn to put nutrients into your grass roots. This allows the grass to better prepare for summer heat. Growing a thick, healthy lawn is useful in preventing weeds as well. Reseed your lawn, especially in areas of the lawn where the grass is thin.

Can you aerate a wet lawn?

If the soil is wet, you won’t want to aerate it, as it can get quite muddy. However, you also want to make sure the soil isn’t too dry either. It is typically suggested that you water a dry lawn between two days before and the evening before you aerate to ensure that the soil isn’t rock hard.

Are manual lawn aerators any good?

The Yard Butler Lawn Aerator is a great choice as the best manual lawn aerator…if you have a small space to aerate. It’s a manual step aerator with only two coring sections, though they are 4″ long.

Can you aerate with leaves on the ground?

There are leaves on my lawn, will you still aerate and seed it? Keep as many leaves as possible off the lawn before your scheduled date. If the lawn is covered with leaves we may have to reschedule your service.

Can you seed before aerating?

As with most larger lawn projects, such as planting grass seed, it’s best to aerate during or right before the time your grasses reach their peak time for natural growth. … When aeration coincides with active growth, grasses recover quickly and fill in areas where aerator equipment exposes soil.

Should I power rake or aerate first?

It is recommended that you power rake your lawn before aerating it. Power raking first will help prepare the grass for aeration. You should power rake at least 5 to 7 days before aerating so that your lawn has time to recover between procedures.

Should I scarify or aerate my lawn first?

When considering both aerating and scarifying, it’s better to scarify first, then aerate– but leave a few days in between the two exercises to allow your lawn to recover before you put it through all that work again.

How long do aeration holes last?

While aeration itself can take just a couple of hours, depending on the size of your commercial property, plugs typically break down in about two weeks.

Does TruGreen do fertilizer?

Want to go organic? You can count on a TruGreen® PhD-certified specialist to recommend environmentally responsible products as part of TruGreen’s TruNatural® Plan that provides an all-natural way to care for your lawn using 100% natural, organic fertilizer.

How soon can you mow After aerating?

They’ll need to acclimate and set roots before the first mow, so during the first two to four weeks post aerating and overseeding, don’t mow.

Can you sharpen aerator tines?

TIP 1 Sharp Tines: Hollow tine aerators need sharp tines otherwise they are hard work. This unit is the strongest aerator we could find so has plenty of metal which can be sharpened without weakening it. Just take a large coarse file and set to work sharpening the outside (not the inside) of the tines.

How do you clean aerator spikes?

Clean inside the spikes One useful tip for cleaning hollow spikes is to use a hammer and punch to remove the soil, but an air chisel will make this process faster. Be careful to only hit the soil inside the spikes and not the metal itself to prevent damage.

Can I aerate my lawn with a pitchfork?

You can aerate a lawn with many different tools. The most inexpensive way is with a pitchfork or spading fork. This tool is most useful for aerating smaller areas. Simply punch holes as deep as possible in the turf layer and then rock the fork to enlarge the holes.

How long does manual aeration take?

Rolling Aerator: Rolling aerators should take about 30 minutes to 1 hour to aerate a lawn.

How much does aeration cost TruGreen?

This gives your lawn the nutrients that it needs to grow strong and healthy. The cost of a TruGreen aeration treatment can cost anything from 200 dollars to 450 dollars depending on the size of your lawn, whether fertilizer is applied at the same time and if so what type and how much of it is required.

Who is better than TruGreen?

TruGreen vs Lawn Doctor Verdict While Lawn Doctor offers several service plans in 38 states, TruGreen has them beat with five annual plans and availability in 49 states. While Lawn Doctor offers more a la carte services, TruGreen offers some of those very services bundled into its annual plans.

How much do aerators cost?

You can purchase aerators starting at $60 and prices go well into the $300 range. The less expensive ones tend to be smaller—about 1-1/2 feet—so you can imagine how long it will take to push that all the way around your lawn.

Can I just sprinkle grass seed on my lawn?

Can you just sprinkle grass seed on top of your existing lawn? While it’s possible to simply sow the new grass seed over your existing lawn, taking the time to prepare your lawn beforehand will increase the likelihood of seed germination and improve your end result.