How To Begin Preparing In August For Lawn Aeration and Overseeding

Why Aerate

It’s that time of year again when fescue lawns need to be aerated and overseeded to recover from the heat and humidity of summer. Our Southern red clay soil is easily compacted. Annual aeration and overseeding is an investment in your lawn’s health each year. Aeration allows air, water and nutrients to penetrate through the soil and into the root zone. Here are a few tips that can help prepare your lawn now for September’s schedule for core aeration, fescue overseeding, starter fertilizer, and pellitized lime installations.

Weed Control

WEED CONTROL GASTONIA NC4 to 6 weeks in advance, spot treat any remaining summer broadleaf and grassy weeds. Check the residual time of the post-emergent herbicide as compared to your estimated aeration/seeding date. You will probably have to use Round-Up on dallisgrass (large clumps of grass that are flat and wide with seedhead spikes).

Watering

3 days before your aeration schedule, start watering to soften the ground for tine penetration if rain has been sparse and the ground is dry. A quick way to know if the soil is moist enough is to push a screwdriver into the soil. If the screwdriver penetrates easily, you are OK. If it is hard to push in, water about 1″ and test again. If you have an irrigation system, this is a great time to do a quick check of all the irrigation heads and adjust or replace if necessary.

 

Lawn Mowing, Debris Removal, and Marking Obstacles

1 – 2 days before your aeration schedule, the lawn should be mowed shorter than usual; clean up leaves and tree debris. Flag irrigation heads, valve box covers, or invisible fences the day before your aeration schedule.

 

Schedule

WALK-BEHIND AERATOR GASTONIA NCOur scheduled dates this year are:

  • Saturday, September 18th
  • Saturday, September 25th
  • Saturday, October 2nd

We will prioritize our customers with heavy leaf drop in the fall for the first 2 dates.

Morrison Lawn & Landscape is ready to take the work off your hands and help you to prepare your landscape now for a beautiful spring turf. If you have interest for us to visit your Gastonia, NC property for a free consultation for lawn service and landscaping needs, contact us today at (704) 813-2545. Please note that we are only able to provide aeration and overseeding services to our weekly lawn mowing customers. Click here to contact us via email.