Core Aeration vs. Aeration and Seeding: Which is Best for Your Lawn?

If you want a healthier, stronger lawn, aeration is a must! But when it comes to choosing core aeration or aeration and seeding, the right choice depends on your grass type. At Top Turf, we recommend core aeration for warm-season lawns and aeration and seeding for cool-season lawns. Here’s why!

Core Aeration: The Best Choice for Warm-Season Lawns

In the southeastern United States, the climate is predominantly warm and humid, which is conducive to the growth of warm-season grasses like Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine. These grasses thrive during the hot summer months and typically enter dormancy in cooler seasons. Consequently, the optimal time for core aeration in these regions is during spring to early summer when these grasses are actively growing. This timing allows the turf to recover quickly and maximize the benefits of aeration.

Core aeration removes small plugs of soil, improving airflow, water absorption, and nutrient penetration. This process:

• Loosens compacted soil for deeper root growth
• Reduces thatch buildup
• Helps your grass grow thicker and healthier

Since warm-season grasses reseed naturally, they fill in any thinning areas after aeration—no extra seeding needed! That’s why we don’t overseed warm-season lawns. Instead, we aerate when they’re actively growing (spring and summer) to get the best results.

For more info, check out: Core Aerating Your Bermuda Lawn: The Benefits and Necessities

Aeration & Seeding: A Must for Cool-Season Lawns

Conversely, in the Southeast, cool-season grasses such as Tall Fescue peak growth during the cooler months. Therefore, aeration and seeding is best performed in the fall. This schedule takes advantage of the favorable growing conditions, allowing new seedlings to establish before winter and resulting in a denser, healthier lawn.

This process combines core aeration with overseeding, which:

• Creates seed-to-soil contact for better germination
• Thickens thin lawns and fills bare spots
• Strengthens your lawn’s resistance to disease and drought

We recommend aeration and seeding in the fall when cool-season grasses grow strongest. The cooler temperatures and increased rainfall help seeds establish before winter, leading to a thicker, greener lawn in the spring!

For more info, check out: Revitalize Your Lawn: The Science behind Aeration & Seeding

Which One Does Your Lawn Need?

• Have a warm-season lawn? Go with core aeration in late spring or summer to maximize its growth.
• Have a cool-season lawn? Aeration and seeding in the fall will keep it thick, lush, and healthy.

At Top Turf, we customize our services to fit your lawn’s needs. Whether you need core aeration or aeration and seeding, we’ve got you covered! These services are not included with our Fertilization and Weed Control Program and are on an appointment  basis only. Call us today with any questions and to get scheduled!