How To Garden Better

Compost Aerator

compost aerator

aerating and topdressing lawn in the fall..advice?

"I live in Southern MN and have a new lawn planted last fall (2007). The grass came up well for the first year, but there are still some thin and patchy areas where there is no grass. The soil has a good amount of clay right below the surface, so I am planning on renting an aerator to pull plugs out of the lawn. Once that is done my next step would be to top dress with a black soil/compost mixture, spread additional sead, and then rake sead into mix.

For you experts out there, does this sound like a good plan? Is there any suggestions, advice, or warnings I should know of prior to going this route? Any suggestions would be appreciated!!
"

I’m in zone 5 (Western New York State–think Buffalo weather) with clay soil. You can aerate if you like and add compost mix. For our area, August 15-September 15 is ideal for planting grass seed as Cornell finds it is most successful for germination at this time. Check with the local County Extension Office for your area. I would not rake the seed. Instead, I would either cover it with a light cover of more compost, or with straw to prevent the birdies from eating it.