How to Aerate Your Lawn: A Complete Guide

Aerating your lawn creates small holes in the soil to break up soil compaction and allow air, water, and nutrients to reach the grass roots. You can use a core aerator (which removes soil plugs), a manual aerator for small yards, or hire a professional service.

The process takes 1-3 hours, depending on lawn size and method. It’s best done when your grass is actively growing. For warm-season grasses, that’s late spring or early summer; for cool-season grasses, it’s late summer to early fall.

This guide walks you through the complete aeration process, from choosing the right equipment to post-aeration care that maximizes results.

Need professional help? LawnStarter’s experts handle aeration or you can bundle aeration with overseeding services.

Key Takeaways:
• Core aerators work best, removing 2-3 inch soil plugs. • Aerate in late spring (warm-season grass) or early fall (cool-season grass). • Soil should be moist, not muddy; leave the plugs to break down; fertilize and overseed after.

Project Difficulty: Easy to intermediate Estimated Time to Complete: Manual aeration can take up to 60 minutes per 1,000 square feet, while core aeration can take 30 minutes to 1.5 hours for lawns up to 1/4 acre. Project Cost: Renting aeration equipment costs around $100 per day. If you’re hiring a pro, lawn aeration costs around $107 to $202.

When Should You Aerate Your Lawn?

The best time to aerate depends on your grass type:

• Warm-season grasses (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine): Late spring to early summer
• Cool-season grasses (fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass): Late summer to early fall

Aerating during active growth allows grass to recover quickly and fill in the holes. 

To learn more about the benefits of aeration and signs your lawn needs it, see our guide on why you should aerate your lawn.

Choosing Your Aeration Method

According to John Orick, Master Gardener state coordinator at Purdue University Extension, core aeration is the most effective option for fixing soil compaction. 

“The hollow tines on the machine actually remove soil cores from the lawn, opening up the soil for air, water, and nutrient movement to the root system.”

Aeration Methods Compared

Method	Best For	Cost
Core Aerator	Heavy compaction, clay soil, large lawns	$100/day rental
Manual Aerator	Small lawns (under 1,000 sq. ft.), spot treatment	$30-$60 to buy
Spike Aerator	Mild compaction, sandy soil only	$50-$80 to buy
Liquid Aerator	Light maintenance, supplement to mechanical aeration	$20-$40/bottle

For most homeowners: Core aeration delivers the best results because it physically removes cores of compacted soil rather than just poking holes.

For small yards (under 1,000 sq. ft.): Manual aerators work well and save you the rental cost.

Avoid spike aerators on clay soil: They don’t remove cores, and can worsen compaction by pressing soil particles closer together.

Learn more about choosing the right method:

• Core Aeration vs. Spike Aeration: What’s the Difference?
• Liquid Aeration vs. Core Aeration: Which Method Actually Works?

Preparing Your Lawn for Aeration

To prevent equipment damage and improve results:

1. Mow shorter than normal. Cut the grass about 1/2 inch shorter than the recommended mowing height so aerator tines can penetrate easily.

2. Mark underground hazards. Use flags or spray paint to identify sprinkler heads, irrigation lines, and invisible fences. 

3. Call 811 at least 2-3 days before. This free service marks underground utilities.

4. Clear the lawn. Remove toys, tools, furniture, sticks, rocks, and debris that could jam equipment.

5. Water if dry. If it hasn’t rained recently, run sprinklers for 10-20 minutes 1-2 days before aeration. Soil should be moist enough to push a screwdriver in with moderate effort, but not muddy.

How to Aerate Your Lawn: Step-by-Step

Core Aeration 

Equipment needed: Core aerator

Time required: 

• Under 1/4 acre: 30 minutes to 1.5 hours
• 1/4 to 1/2 acre: 1 to 2 hours
• 1 acre or larger: 1 to 3+ hours

Process:

1. Begin at one edge of your lawn, near a corner or obstacle.
2. Move forward slowly (similar to mowing speed), allowing the hollow tines to fully penetrate and extract soil plugs.
3. Cover your entire yard in straight rows, overlapping each pass by 2-3 inches.
4. Go over the lawn again, perpendicular to your first pass, to ensure optimal coverage.
5. Make extra passes over heavily compacted areas, such as walkways, play areas, or where vehicles have driven.

Manual Aeration 

Equipment needed: Manual core aerator or hollow tine aerator 

Time required: 30 minutes to an hour per 1,000 sq. ft.

Process:

1. Place the aerator perpendicular to the ground.
2. Step on or press down until the tines penetrate 2-3 inches.
3. Pull back on the handle to remove the soil plug.
4. Work in a grid pattern, aerating every 4-6 inches across your lawn.
5. Focus your efforts on high-traffic zones that need it most.

Spike Aeration

Equipment needed: Rolling spike aerator or spike aerator shoes

Time required: 30 minutes to an hour for 1,000 sq. ft.

Process:

1. Roll or press the spike aerator across your lawn.
2. Work in straight, parallel lines to ensure even coverage.
3. (Optional) Go over the lawn at a 45-degree angle for better coverage.

Liquid Aeration

Equipment needed: Liquid aerator solution with hose-end sprayer

Time required: 15 to 60 minutes (for the application)

Process:

1. Connect the bottle to your garden hose using the included sprayer attachment.
2. Work in consistent, sweeping motions to cover the entire lawn.
3. Lightly water the lawn to move the solution into the soil.
4. Wait at least 24 hours before heavy lawn use.

Note: Avoid application when temperatures exceed 85 degrees, during peak afternoon sun, or if you’re expecting heavy rain within 24 hours.

See Related: Does Liquid Lawn Aeration Work?

After Aeration: Next Steps

Leave the Soil Plugs on Your Lawn

Those dirt cylinders scattered across your lawn serve an important purpose. According to Orick, “Soil cores left on top of the lawn contain soil organisms that help break down the thatch layer.”

Let plugs break down naturally over 1-2 weeks. Rain, mowing, and foot traffic will help them disintegrate.

If plugs clump in specific areas and interfere with mowing, gently rake to spread them evenly.

Optimal Post-Aeration Care

Immediate (Day 1-3):

• Pause watering for 1-2 days to let the soil breathe and settle.
• Apply fertilizer right away — nutrients reach roots more effectively through the fresh holes.
• Keep foot traffic to a minimum.

Week 1-2:

• Apply topdressing if desired to improve overall soil quality.
• Overseed bare or thin patches. 
• Begin light, frequent watering if you’ve overseeded.

Week 2-4:

• Resume your regular lawn care routine.
• Monitor grass recovery and new growth in previously thin areas.
• Continue avoiding heavy foot traffic in overseeded areas until the grass reaches 3 inches tall.

For more detailed information, see What to Do After Aerating Your Lawn.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Aerator Won’t Pull Plugs

Problem: Tines can’t penetrate or extract soil cores.

Solution: Water your lawn and try again in 24 hours. Clean tines thoroughly and check for damage. If needed, add weight to the aerator (some models have trays for sandbags).

Uneven Coverage

Problem: Some areas have many holes, while others have few.

Solution: Make a second pass perpendicular to the first. Mark any missed spots with flags and re-aerate those areas.

Lawn Looks Worse After Aeration

Problem: Your lawn looks rough for 1-2 weeks, with soil plugs scattered around and visible holes.

Solution: Trust the process. Improvement takes 2-4 weeks to become visible. Call a professional if:

• Brown grass patches expand after 2 weeks
• Grass dies specifically in aerated areas
• Severe rutting or soil displacement occurs

Frequently Asked Questions

When to Hire a Professional

Consider professional help if your lawn exceeds 5,000 square feet, you’re dealing with heavily compacted clay soil, or you want to bundle aeration with overseeding and fertilization.

LawnStarter’s local lawn treatment pros completed 245 aeration and overseeding jobs last year (4.1 rating). Get a free quote to compare against equipment rental and your time.

Aerating Your Lawn Doesn’t Have to Be Tedious: Hire a Pro

Aerating your lawn successfully comes down to 3 things: using the right method for your yard size, aerating during your grass’s active growing season, and following up with fertilization or overseeding. The 2-3 inch depth and 2-6 inch spacing guidelines work for nearly all residential lawns.

If DIY feels overwhelming, LawnStarter pros handle aeration plus overseeding, dethatching, fertilization, mowing, and leaf removal. Your grass will reward proper aeration with deeper roots, better nutrient absorption, and healthier overall growth.

Main Image: Core aeration plugs scattered on freshly aerated lawn. Image Credit: Shutterstock