Most customers begin aerating and overseeding in September. For aeration to be effective, the tines must penetrate the soil. To help achieve this, we recommend using your irrigation system to moisten the ground beforehand. If necessary, run your system for two consecutive days, then allow one day for the soil to dry before aeration takes place.
Once your lawn has been aerated and seeded, it’s important to keep the soil consistently moist for about 14 days to encourage proper germination. A good rule of thumb is to water twice a day until the new seed has sprouted. Because every yard is different—factors like shade, slope, soil type, and sprinkler system design all play a role—watering times will vary. In general, we suggest:
- Spray heads: 2–3 minutes, twice a day
- Rotor heads: 5–7 minutes, twice a day
After you see good germination, transition to watering once a day for another week. Then, move to a regular watering schedule.
Keep in mind, natural rainfall will affect this process. If your rain sensor is functioning properly, it will automatically pause your system to prevent over watering and water waste. If you don’t have a working rain sensor, contact us—we can help.