When thinking about scheduling an aeration service for your lawn, you'll want to make sure you're getting the timing right. In Oregon, we primarily have cool-season grasses like bluegrasses and fescues, so that timing will look different than it will for regions with warm-season grasses. Cool-season grass is weak when coming out of winter dormancy, so spring would not be an ideal time to aerate. The summer heat is the most stressful point of the year for these grasses, so you will not want to aerate and add even more stress during that time. The best time to aerate cool-season grasses is fall – they're at their strongest going into cool weather and have enough time to recover before the winter months.

Aerating in Spring Can Weaken Your Grass

Brown patchy lawn disease in Lents, OR.

Although it may seem like spring is the perfect time for aeration because it encourages nutrient access and growth, for cool-season grasses, this is not the case. Come spring, these grasses have been weakened by winter dormancy and need time to recover and re-establish themselves. Because aeration causes some stress to the grass, you won't want to do it when the grass is in a weakened state since it can exacerbate the issue.

Weakened grass can make your lawn susceptible to lawn disease and insect infestations.

Summer Aeration Can Cause More Harm Than Good

While cool-season grass is particularly strong in cooler weather, it is particularly vulnerable in warmer weather. Some lawns even get so stressed that they enter a summer dormancy to conserve energy and survive the heat. That makes summer a bad time to aerate these lawns, as any additional distress could cause more harm than good. Stressed grass will be more susceptible to disease and can even experience root damage if it doesn't have the strength to withstand the heightened soil temperatures.

Overseeding is often paired with aeration to fill the plugs with new, healthy grass seed, resulting in a visibly more lush lawn in as little as 3-4 weeks.

So – which season should I aerate?

Lawn aeration graphic shown in Tualatin, OR.

You shouldn't aerate in spring or summer, but you know that aerating your lawn is an essential part of maintaining its health. So when should you aerate cool-season lawns? The simple answer is fall. During the fall, your cool-season grass will be shifting gears from top growth to root growth, trying to repair any damage sustained in the summer heat and store nutrients for winter. Your grasses are at their strongest at this time in the year, going into cooler weather!

By aerating in the fall, you'll be helping your cool-season grass jumpstart this healing process. Aeration will increase rooting and open the lawn up to the additional air, water, and nutrients it needs during this time. The plugs left behind will break down and integrate themselves into the thatch layer, so nothing goes to waste!

Give your lawn the boost it needs. Call today to schedule our aeration service!

At J&C Lawn Care, our goal is to help lawns be the best they can be. We pair that with an intense focus on customer satisfaction and high standards for both quality and results for our clients in Gresham, Happy Valley, Troutdale, and surrounding areas in Oregon. Call us today at (971) 284-2035 to schedule our aeration service and give your lawn the boost it not only needs, but deserves!

We also offer additional lawn care services such as fertilization, weed control, and overseeding, making us your one-stop shop for all of your lawn care needs. We look forward to working with you to help you get the beautiful and healthy lawn that you've always wanted!