Fall Aeration & Seeding FAQ

Watch this brief video for 3 easy ways to mark your irrigation system:

Yes, any underground hazards on your property that could potentially be damaged during the aeration process need to be marked. If it is not marked, we cannot be responsible for any damage. One trick we’ve learned for marking your invisible dog fence is putting the collar on training mode and walk it around the property line to find where it’s located. You can also try reaching out to the company who installed it to mark it as well.

Be sure to flag any in-ground lights, robotic mowers, and other hard-to-see objects so that they are not damaged. For your comfort, we are happy to walk your lawn with you before starting the aeration and overseeding process.

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.

Water your lawn ONLY if the soil is dry, but be careful of overwatering. A quick way to know if the soil is moist enough is to push a screwdriver into the soil. If the screwdriver penetrates easily, your lawn is watered sufficiently. If it is hard to push in, water about 1″ and test again.

Mow your lawn to the recommended height (generally, the highest setting on your mower, at 4”) for your turf before we arrive. This helps to make your aeration and seeding more successful by allowing your lawn to retain moisture and shade your new grass seed. Mowing your grass too short will stress your lawn.

Newly seeded lawns must be kept moist. That means you must water constantly! If the seed dries out, it will not germinate. Be careful not to overwater as too much water will cause the new seed to drown and rot. If you see mud, you are over watering.

If your lawn is well established, wait 1-2 weeks following seeding to cut the grass. Be careful and avoid any weak or bare areas which take longer to fill in. For partially established or renovated lawns you need to wait 3-4 weeks to allow enough time for the turf to germinate and grow properly prior to cutting. Make sure to continue mowing high!

Keep your lawn clear from leaves, but make sure not to use a rake because it can uproot the newly planted seed. Use a blower to keep those leaves off your lawn.

As long as you’re watering properly, your new grass seed will take a minimum of 14-21 days to germinate.

You will not see 100% of the seed germinate. You can expect approximately 90-95% germination with a new lawn and 80-85% germination with aeration and overseeding.

Failure to keep grass seed moist is one of the main reasons for failure of new lawns since seed needs to stay moist to germinate. Coated seeds absorb two times the amount of water than non-coated seed—this helps the seed to retain moisture and keeps the seed moist for longer, essentially acting as a sponge. Our new coated grass seed promotes germination, root development, plant growth, and an improved growing environment with high efficiency and natural ingredients.

Remember – new blades of grass are very fine and quite tiny. Don’t see any grass yet? Get down on your knees for a closer look; it’s there!

When we’re laying out seed there’s a high chance that some is going to end up in your beds, especially if there’s any sort of wind outside. Don’t worry though, you can pull it up or apply round-up to those areas in your beds.

When aeration is performed, it not only helps bring nutrients and airflow to the turf but also disturbs the soil, stirring up the existing dormant weed seeds in your lawn as well. Don’t worry – as long as you’re on a lawn care program, we will address any weed problems with our second application in the spring.