Do You Put Topsoil Down After Using Lawn Aerators?

Whenever an aerator is used on your lawn, whether it is a pricey core aerator or some DIY solution using tools you already own, you are removing sections of soil to allow airflow and water to penetrate the soil and relieve the compaction. While this does open up your lawn, aerating does not fix the issues on its own. Which is why, generally speaking, it is a good idea to add top soil to your lawn after aerating. 

Lawns that need to be aerated often have hard soil, patchy or grassless areas, standing water, or have become bumpy from excessive foot traffic. In any of these instances, adding grass seed and topsoil after aerating is only going to benefit the lawn. You need to spread the grass seed first because it needs direct contact with the soil in order to germinate. Then you can come through and add a layer of top soil to protect the grass seed from becoming too dry. All this should be done within 48 hours of aerating. Topsoil will also level out any uneven patches. You may need to add more topsoil depending on the depth of the depression.   

Whenever you top dress alongside aeration, always be sure to use top soil that is heavy on compost and other organic materials. This will provide your lawn with nutrients to feed on, which helps your once compacted lawn bounce back in a major way. You should also try to make sure that the type of top soil you're using matches that which already exists in your lawn. Soil composition can change from place to place, so do your homework and make sure you are purchasing the best match you can. 

And if you're wondering how much top soil you'll need to use, it's recommended that you add at least half an inch when top dressing a lawn. How much you buy will then depend on the size of your lawn and how deep any compacted depressions are. Local hardware stores or garden centers sell top soil in bulk, and will help you calculate how much you'll need. 

Now, if you don't need to aerate, you should still top dress your lawn before it goes into dormancy in late fall. However, when paired with aerating, you need to top dress during your aeration schedule to allow the lawn enough time to heal. When you need to aerate your lawn depends on the type of grass you have. For cool season grasses, you want to aerate your lawn in the early fall when the weather is cool but the grass is still growing. For warm season grasses, aerate in the early summer. Even though this doesn't line up with the usual top dressing calendar, you should still pair it alongside your aerating if you want optimal results.