If your lawn is looking a little scraggly, fertilizer or grass seed may not be the answer. Instead, compacted soil may be to blame for the decreased growth, and soil aeration can help perk it up. Watch for these signs that it’s time to rent an aerator.

How to Tell if Your Lawn Needs Aeration

1. It’s Growing Season

Aerating at the beginning of your grass’s growing season will help it absorb nutrients and flourish. Different turf blends hit their peak at different times. For bluegrass and fescue, early spring and fall are the best times, while Bermuda, zoysia, and St. Augustine should be aerated in late spring.

2. Grass Is Thinning

If you’re beginning to see bald patches in your lawn, or if the grass is growing very slowly in places, don’t just put down grass seed. Those are areas where the soil is most compacted. The lawn’s roots aren’t able to absorb water and nutrients, so the plants begin to wither.

3. There’s Discoloration

Even if the grass hasn’t started to die off yet, you may see areas beginning to turn yellow or brown. This can be an early warning sign that those areas are lacking in nutrients. There are several potential causes, but if this is combined with other compacted soil signs, you should aerate.

4. Puddles

When you water your lawn, the water should soak into the soil quickly. If the water is sitting on top of the soil instead, it’s because the earth is packed too tightly. This may happen in a few small areas or across a whole lawn, and it may wash away any grass seed you place.

5. Runoff & Quick-Drying Ground

Similarly, you may see water flowing away from sloped areas. If you see running water, the ground may simply be to saturated in that spot. But if the soil dries out quickly afterward and you can’t keep it moist, it’s due to compaction.

If aeration doesn’t resolve your lawn’s problem, choose Turpin Farms in Cincinnati, OH, for grass seed and new turf. Over its 230 year history, this sod farm has perfected a number of turf blends for attractive, hardy lawns. To learn more about their products, call (513) 561-2621 or visit their website.