Do I need to aerate my lawn?

In short, aerating your lawn should always be an essential part of your lawn care routine. Whether you’re sowing a new lawn from scratch, overseeding an existing lawn or simply maintaining the lush lawn you already have – aeration can make all the difference in how well your grass grows.

What is aeration

Simply put, aeration creates holes or slits in the soil to allow air and water to pass through freely. Regular aeration helps promote healthy root growth and stronger grass.

Why do I need to aerate my lawn

Aeration is done to remedy soil compaction on your lawn, which causes thinning or stunted grass growth, waterlogging, moss and thatch! 

It’s not just water damage that can be an issue either; in dry months, the opposite can occur, with soil struggling to absorb nutrients correctly. If left untreated, this can kill grass as roots become starved of water.

The benefits of aerating your lawn

• Greener, lusher and stronger grass as roots can take in nutrients from fertiliser easier
• Reduces risk of moss, weeds and lawn diseases
• Faster recovery from heavy use in warm, cold or wet weather
• Improved drainage and less chance of puddling & water build-up

How do I know when my lawn needs to be aerated?

There’s a good chance you need to aerate your lawn if:

• It experiences heavy traffic with kids and pets for example, running around your garden which all contribute to compaction
• It dries out easily in the summer and becomes very waterlogged in the wetter months
• You notice a build-up of moss over winter

Which aeration method should I use

There are several different tools and two different methods that are used when aerating. The first is spiking, and the second is pricking.

Spiking

Spiking involves creating holes in the soil at a depth of at least 3 inches. This method is recommended for lawns suffering from heavy compaction, usually noticeable when areas become waterlogged or very dry.

There are two approaches to spiking your lawn depending on the soil build-up and the soil types in your garden. One is with a garden fork which is excellent for smaller areas and sandy/loamy soils, and the other involves coring with a hollow-tine fork which is ideal for heavy clay soils.

Pricking

Pricking is a little different in that it doesn’t get right down into the compaction layer of the soil but rather opens up small holes in the surface, which are relatively close together. A soil-tine or slitter aerator can be used for this job; these are usually pushed along by hand or can be bought as attachments and fitted behind lawnmowers.

When should I aerate my lawn

The best times to aerate are in summer and autumn.

• Summer - Light aeration using the pricking method is advised in summer as it helps relieve surface-level soil compaction from the frequent use during the high-traffic summer months
• Autumn - Deeper aeration using the spiking method is best left until autumn when there is left traffic on your lawn. This will prepare your lawn well for the winter months ahead

Aeration can be a tough job, so whilst it may seem like a good idea to aerate as often as possible, it can do more harm than good to you and your lawn. Try to confine spiking to compacted areas, and don’t do this too often. When using a garden fork, only do this once a year, and if using a hollow-tine aerator, cut this down further to once every three years. Pricking can be done a little more regularly, but remember this method won’t solve deep compaction issues.

Generally, aeration is a good practice to carry out every once in a while to improve drainage and alleviate compaction, but it shouldn’t become a regular practice in any garden.

Ok, I want to aerate my lawn - how do I do it?

We also have a helpful video guide on how to aerate your lawn.

Additionally, knowing what grass seed you need and how to sow it could make the next stage in your project easier.