Ontario is a beautiful place to live, and there’s almost no bigger source of pride for a local homeowner than having a stunning lawn. But if you’re new to the lawn game or just need a few tips, Jody’s Lawn Care is going to teach you all about aeration and overseeding.
Understanding what your lawn needs is important, so spotting the signs early will be a boon for success. Luckily, we’ve created a comprehensive guide to discuss the signs indicating that it’s time to aerate and seed your Ontario lawn.
Let’s go through the signs as well as tips and tricks to get the greenest grass in your neighbourhood.
Signs It's Time to Aerate Your Ontario Lawn
If you’re a new lawn enthusiast, you may not be privy to the signs that it’s time to aerate your lawn. There are several factors that can influence these signs, such as the season and weather (i.e. draught or heavy rain). However, there are several other factors you need to consider:
Thatch Buildup
Have you ever stepped on your lawn and felt that wet, squishy, sinking feeling – like the soil compressing beneath your feet? Have you heard the unfamiliar “squelch” of wet grass and soil? If so, you may have thatch buildup.
Thatch is a layer of organic plant matter that hasn't been fully digested or absorbed, such as roots, leaves, and other plant materials. These materials tend to settle between the turfgrass and soil surface and are generally a natural process that can be harmless.
Provided that your lawn has a healthy ecosystem, microorganisms such as fungi and various bacteria break the material down and recycle it back into the soil — offering vital nutrients to your grass. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Not always. If the velocity of organic matter production overwhelms the rate of decomposition, thatch can subsequently accumulate and become a problem.
Not only does thatch cause a spongy appearance when you look at the lawn, but it also effectively becomes a literal sponge. Water from rain and irrigation becomes trapped beneath it, preventing the roots from growing deep.
Shallow roots run the risk of drying up in hot weather, while also providing a prime place for fungi and pests to thrive. Wet roots are also deprived of the necessary oxygen to thrive and often prevent most grass treatments from being fully effective.
Compacted Soil
Quite literally: soil compaction occurs when soil particles are pressed tightly together, allowing for less space between the particles – AKA, pores. This causes your soil to be very dense and reduces the pores that allow water and air to cycle through. This can create serious issues for your grass.
When your soil becomes compacted, it prevents water from being able to properly soak in or drain out, because smaller pores aren't as effective at moving water from point A to point B.
It's also important to remember that roots don't just require water: they need oxygen, too. If your soil is too compacted, air isn't going to be able to flow freely enough to support the roots of your Ontario lawn, leaving it dull and lackluster.
Water Runoff or Pooling
Water runoff or pooling on your lawn can lean into several issues with your grass. Generally, this can be caused by poor drainage, heavy rain, frozen or saturated soil, and more — including issues we’ve already referenced, such as compacted soil.
This can prevent the water from properly saturating the soil, causing a loss of nutrients, soil erosion, etc. If you notice that your grass has puddling or discolouration of the grass, you need to act fast. Otherwise, you could end up with a completely dead lawn.
Thin or Bare Patches
If you start noticing that certain areas of your grass are thinner than others or starting to completely disperse from the soil – there could be a problem, indicating you need grass treatment. Thin or bare patches of grass usually indicate the lawn isn’t receiving the proper nutrients through fertilization or has poor water absorption.
Just like an Olympic athlete needs the proper fuel through food and hydration in order to thrive, your grass needs regular fertilizing to grow thick, strong, and consistent over the seasons. If you neglect giving your grass the nutrients it needs, you may start noticing areas of your lawn failing to thrive, turning brown, or outright failing to grow blades of grass at all.
Also, it’s important to remember that grass, like many plants, needs a healthy amount of sunlight to grow properly. If your grass is consistently covered by shade, you may notice that certain areas aren’t growing as well as others.
Moss Growth
Moss looks great in a terrarium... but is a poor indication of the health of your grass. Typically, if you notice that your grass is forming patches of moss, this indicates poor soil drainage and potentially acidic soil. Moss also has a tendency to thrive in compacted soil, which has a host of potential issues we’ve already mentioned above.
Aeration: The Ultimate Solution
Aerating your soil can solve nearly all the aforementioned issues. By breaking up compaction, increasing oxygen flow, easing water filtration, enhancing nutrient absorption, reducing buildup, and promoting root growth; you can have a stunning Ontario lawn that stands up to every season.
Signs It's Time to Overseed Your Ontario Lawn
Aeration isn’t a “fix all”; rather, overseeding needs to be included in the equation to make sure you have the greenest, thickest lawn on the block.
Sparse or Thin Grass
Does your lawn look a little bit like a molting chicken? Some areas are fluffy and thick, while others are thin or nearly bald? If you notice that your lawn is lacking overall density and thickness, it’s likely time for you to pair your aeration with overseeding efforts.
Creating optimal soil is great, but you need to literally plant the seeds of success by covering these less-than-optimal patches with seeds to help the grass grow. Otherwise, you’re putting time and effort into something that’s doomed to fail.
If you see bare patches or an overall lack of density in your lawn, it’s smart to begin overseeding.
The benefits of overseeding include:
Improves grass thickness.
Enhances lawn appearance.
Reduces weed growth.
Boosts lawn resilience.
Promotes uniformity.
Encourages healthier growth.
Helps repair damaged areas.
Slow Growth of Grass
Have you noticed that your lawn doesn’t quite... “grow up” in the spring? Instead, remaining dull and brown, only showing green in sparse areas? This slow growth shows that your lawn didn’t receive what it needed to thrive.
To ensure your grass thrives, remove unnecessary plant debris, water it regularly, and test for fungi, diseases, and pests, such as grubs and other parasites.
Note: It’s completely normal for homeowners to struggle to bring their grass back to life after winter. This is a skill you develop over time and adjust to meet your unique needs.
Weed Infestation
Nobody likes weeds. They’re invasive, unattractive, and they cause harm to your grass health. Luckily, issues such as weed infestation can be prevented with early measures such as overseeding in the spring. This not only fills in thin or sparse areas of grass; it also encourages a healthy lawn that is well-equipped to suppress weeds.
Some other strategies include ensuring your grass is properly watered, mowed, and fertilized, and creating a healthy ecosystem for your grass. You can also use selective herbicides to eliminate and kill weeds. There are plenty of eco-friendly options to choose from.
High Traffic Areas Show Ware & Tear
Have you noticed that the pathways that people and/or pets regularly travel on have become depressed and bare? As you can imagine, grass tends to struggle to grow in high traffic areas. By overseeding high-traffic areas, you can replenish worn grass and enhance soil structure; allowing better root growth and preservation. Keeping on top of seeding your grass also ensures you have the desired density or thickness of your lawn.
Timing in Ontario
The best time to aerate and overseed your lawn in Ontario is typically during late summer to early fall, usually between mid-August to mid-September. This period has warmer soil temperatures that allow for quick seed germination with cooler air that reduces the stress on young grass. Also, weed growth slows down significantly during this time, meaning your grass isn't going to have to compete for nutrients, making a healthier lawn that should flourish in the spring.
Choose Jody’s Lawn Care for the Best Results
Worried that you don’t have the time or expertise to truly get the best possible results? Don’t worry, Jody’s Lawn Care has your back. We offer several services to help improve and maintain your lawn and trees, meaning you can relax and let us do the hard work. Enjoy a beautiful lawn all-year round with the help of Jody’s Lawn Care. Contact us today.
