ISO recs for aerating lawn

Sommerj

Oct 13, 2015 at 10:40am

Hello,

Can someone recommend a service to come and aerate/overseed our lawn? We're new to the whole lawn maintenance thing and I've heard that it's just too complicated to try to aerate a lawn oneself, given the weight and cost of renting the proper equipment from Home Depot. Any opinions/advice welcome!

Thanks.

cats

Oct 13, 2015 at 10:57am

I saw this ad on the MOL classified section. Maybe give a call; it specifically addresses your needs. I don't know the person who posted.

http://www.maplewoodonline.com/jobs/zoom.php?qs1=30085620pracyp5

xavier67

Oct 13, 2015 at 12:58pm Edited

Sommerj said:
Hello,
Can someone recommend a service to come and aerate/overseed our lawn? We're new to the whole lawn maintenance thing and I've heard that it's just too complicated to try to aerate a lawn oneself, given the weight and cost of renting the proper equipment from Home Depot. Any opinions/advice welcome!
Thanks.

Lawn aeration is SO not complicated. Aerating and overseeding don't require heavy equipment or special skills. A landscaping company (if you can get one to do the job during fall when they are uber busy) will charge you several hundred dollars for a typical sized lawn.

Invest in a good spreader like this one for $90: http://www.zoro.com/earthway-broadcast-spreader-80-lb-pneumatic-2050p/i/G4182491/

...and a push aerator like this one for $100: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ohio-Steel-14-in-Push-Spike-Aerator-10-8/203433617

Then overseed with a low maintenance grass seeds like Pearl's Premium. Their website also has many simple maintenance tips: http://www.pearlspremium.com/

It will take you anywhere from 1-4 hours depending on the size of your lawn. You will spend less money than if you hired a landscaper -- AND will own tools you can use several times year.

sac

Oct 13, 2015 at 1:01pm

Many of the lawn-servicing companies will do this. We use Dial Lawnwatch (formerly "Natures Pro": 973-276-7999) they are coming to do ours this week. I don't know if they do it for homes that are not already in their customer list, though.

bobk

Oct 13, 2015 at 1:24pm

Getting kind of late in the season for planting grass. Usually this should be done by mid September or maybe late September in a warn year.

sac

Oct 13, 2015 at 2:43pm

This particular September was so dry, I'm not sure that would have gone well. Maybe it's a waste, but hopefully not.

cats

Oct 13, 2015 at 7:30pm

Spike aeration, especially with the horribly compacted dry, clay soil we have here is a waste. You do need a heavy duty machine to do CORE aeration which will remove plugs of soil, not just make small holes. Something best left to a pro. Wow, several hundred dollars? That's crazy! I had this done at a property in MA recently. Aeration $95, overseeding $95 and the property was quite a bit larger than our typical lots. I would expect it to cost more here but... As I mentioned. the MOL classified ad is worth a call.