Wake Landscapes Blog

Aerating and Seeding: Frequently Asked Questions

What are benefits of aerating a lawn?

Aerating a lawn involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow water, air and nutrients to reach the roots. 

When is it best to aerate?

In NC, we recommend aerating our fescue lawns each fall, around mid-September through mid-October. Fescue is a cool season grass, so we do not aerate in August because the 90-100 degree heat will diminish germination rates. It is also important not to wait too late in the season to allow the lawn to start growing before our first frost, which usually occurs early November. We always want to keep our newly seeded lawn free of leaves, sticks and other debris to help the seed grow.

What kind of aerators are there?

There is a variety of commercial equipment we use to aerate our lawn. The most popular style of aerators is a walk-behind style aerator, which consists of a drum style self-propelled walk-behind unit. These...

GRASS WATERING TIPS

Here are a few basic tips to keep your lawn alive this summer:

WATER IN THE MORNING

The absolute best time to water your lawn is the early morning, before 10AM (6-8AM is better). Cooler temperatures and calm breezes help keep evaporation to a minimum. If you can't water in the morning, late afternoon is the next best time. However, while it might seem smart to wait for evening's cooler temperatures, watering too late in the evening keeps lawns wet overnight, which can make your lawn susceptible to disease. A wet lawn at night is the perfect condition for fungus to grow. Do not water too late in the evening. 

LONGER, LESS FREQUENT WATERING 

Frequent, light watering can lead to fungus and a shallow root system; fewer waterings that soak the soil more deeply encourage the roots to grow deeper. If you see mushrooms sprouting in your lawn, that can be a sign you're watering too much. There is no exact number of minutes, or days per ...