Exact Answer: After about 48 hours
While having a lawn, it’s very important to take care of the lawn. With proper care, one can get the most fruitful results out of the lawn. There are three keys to a proper routine of lawn care. The first step is aeration, which is followed by overseeding. After overseeding, the final step is fertilizing. Aeration is the foremost and most important step. A machine is used for this purpose which is made to travel throughout the lawn. Plugs are removed from the soil thereby loosening the soil.
This process helps the soil in absorbing more air, nutrients, and fluids thereby making it more fertile. After proper aeration, the soil is ready to germinate seeds. The next step, i.e. overseeding is carried out in cool weather.
How Long After Aeration Can I Fertilize?
| Type | Time |
| Minimum time | 24 hours |
| Maximum time | 48 hours |
However, aeration is the key step to a proper routine of lawn care. If the soil is compacted, then the growth of the grass in your lawn won’t be noteworthy. Hence, it is essential to aerate the lawn. After aeration, you can notice that the growth of grass is better as compared to the previous one. The grass would not only be thicker but also healthier. During aeration, holes are created in the soil which allows the easy exchange of water, air, and nutrients between the soil and the environment.
Most people wonder when it’s the correct time to aerate the lawn. The correct time would be the time when you wish to go for seeding it. However, it also depends on the grass you want to grow. The condition and weather should be favorable for the development of grass. However, if someone tries to aerate the soil during the growth of the grass, then slow aeration should be done. In this way, the grasses won’t be hurt due to the roughness of the process and would recover from the shocks of the process soon.
The process of overseeding involves the distribution of seeds throughout the lawn. Crabgrass preventers should not be used as they would hamper the process of the development of seeds. Some light watering should be done frequently for a minimum of 2-3 times per day. This would allow the roots to absorb water which is very essential for the process of germination.
For achieving the best results, it is always advised to start sowing seeds after 48 hours of aeration. The aeration should be done deep into the soil levels. This would open up the lawn thereby providing it with enough atmosphere to be able to germinate seeds. After this time, if seeds are sown, then the chances of fertilization of the seeds sown would be high. The results attained would even be very satisfying.
Why Should I Wait So Long To Fertilize After Aeration?
After aeration, a fertilizer with a high amount of nitrogen and other nutrients should be used. After aeration, the soil is the most fertile. During this time, the lawn should be corrected for repairs. After this, one can sow seeds and can wait for fertilization. This is the best time to sow seeds as the roots would have the privilege to get easy access to exchange water and nutrients. This promotes the growth of the grasses in the lawn.
Within 48 hours of aeration, the holes provide the best medium of exchange of all those materials which would be helpful for the development of the seed. A good amount of fertilizer should also be used. Properly aerated soils even have better drainage facilities. Apart from this, it decreases the chances of weeds and even prevents the deposition of thatch. Aeration even makes the soil capable to take up more fertilizer thereby promoting the growth of grasses.
It is always advised to maintain a minimum time gap of about 48 hours between aeration and fertilization. This is because, within those 48 hours, the soil would be left out open to breathe. It would make the soil more productive, thereby ensuring that it yields the best results after this period. Hence, it is essential to maintain the time gap lest the productivity and efficiency of the aerated soil would be reduced.
However, one should also be perfect while carrying out these processes. After choosing and getting the appropriate instruments, it is essential to know how to use them properly. Without the proper knowledge, you would end up hurting your soil thereby making it infertile. Hence, it is appropriate to have an adequate knowledge of the methods to use those machines. The most common mistake made by people is choosing the wrong time. Yes, if you go for lawn care during the wrong season, the weather conditions wouldn’t cooperate with the growth of grasses thereby posing problems for the grass to grow.
Conclusion
One should take proper precautions while going for aeration and seeding. The most important thing is to choose a suitable time during the day to aerate the soil. Dry seasons are the most preferable ones. However, if your lawn is facing a drought, then it is best to have patience until the first rain. The first rain would add life to your lifeless lawn. And then, it would be ready for further processes. Most people even don’t keep their soils moist properly after aeration. Remember, water is the most important requirement for any process.
Insufficient supply of water would even pose problems for the germinating seed thereby making development a difficult process. After sowing seeds, one can’t sit idle waiting for results. It is advised to make prior preparations to fight against weeds if any such appear. With proper care and precautions, lawn care can be super easy.