Aeration- also known as core aeration- is the process by which soil compaction is alleviated by perforating holes into the soil. This helps with air, nutrient, and moisture circulation in the soil, consequently improving grass growth. So, when should you aerate a Bermuda grass lawn?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aerate a Bermuda grass lawn between April and July when the weather is warm and the grass is growing rapidly. Avoid aerating warm-season grasses during the cold months when the grass is dormant, otherwise, you\u2019ll encourage weeds to grow faster. If you have clay soil that gets compacted easily, aerate twice per season.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Below is an elaborate guide on why you should consider aerating your Bermuda lawn, as well as the best time for doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best time to aerate your Bermuda turf is at the beginning of summer when it is peak growth season for warm-season grasses. Typically, at this time of the year, Bermuda grass turf tends to exhibit rapid growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you have compact<\/u>ed or clay soil in your yard<\/u><\/a>, you\u2019ll need to aerate twice every year, as the process relieves soil compaction, enabling water and nutrients to penetrate the soil more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To determine whether your Bermuda grass lawn needs to be aerated, consider the following factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When aeration is undertaken, moisture can finally penetrate past the fine-textured soil layer into the deeper, coarse-textured soil layer where the grass roots are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, while aerating serves to improve moisture and nutrient penetration into the soil, it can cause great damage to your turfgrass if not done the correct way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For starters, you need to ensure you have the proper equipment when aerating your lawn, preferably, a plug aerator. Using the wrong equipment- such as cleats- to create holes in your lawn soil can actually cause additional compaction, further stressing your turfgrass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also cause damage to your turfgrass if you don\u2019t know how to properly use your aeration machine. Some tend to lift and spin the whole machine during each turn to save on time, instead of disengaging the tines from the handle. This- then- results in turf damage and bare spots on the lawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not advisable to aerate your Bermuda lawn in the fall, as your turf is less likely to benefit from the process at this time of the year. Being a warm-season grass, Bermuda grass usually goes dormant starting from late fall-early winter. Therefore, when aeration is done during this season, the added benefits of improved air, water, and nutrient circulation in the soil won\u2019t help make your lawn denser or greener<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, I recommend aerating your Bermudagrass turf during spring just when vigorous growth is about to begin. Fall aeration- meanwhile- is best reserved for cool-season turfgrasses like fescue and annual ryegrass, as they undergo vigorous growth at around this time of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes\u00a0– you should overseed after aerating your lawn to increase the chances of more grass seeds and moisture penetrating into the soil via the holes created by aeration. Overseed your lawn within 48 hours of aerating it. Ensure that you applied a post-emergent herbicide at least 6 weeks earlier instead of overseeding a lawn with weeds<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To properly aerate and overseed your lawn, follow the procedure detailed below:<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen to aerate Bermuda grass<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can <\/strong>core-<\/strong>aerating damage a lawn?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can you aerate Bermuda grass in the fall?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Should you overseed after aerating a lawn?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n