Aeration FAQ’s

Before Service

• Proper Watering: Thoroughly watering your lawn before the service ensures that the aerators will get good plugs. A solid deep soaking is recommended.  Not having moist soil prior to service will impact the aeration result.  If you can easily get a screw driver into the ground without a lot of weight or force, the soil is moist enough for good aeration.
• Marking: Please mark all irrigation heads and valve boxes and/or underground pet fences (or any shallow wires or cables) with flags. Southern Exposure cannot accept responsibility for any unmarked objects. Southern Exposure can flag irrigation for a charge of $35 for systems with less than 15 zones. An additional $15 will be charged for systems larger than 15 zones. If property is not properly marked there will be an additional trip fee of $35 for our crews to return if warranted, but Southern Exposure cannot accept responsibility for any unmarked objects.
• Mowing: Please mow your lawn lower than usual to allow good seed-soil contact, a week to a day prior to your service.
• Weeds & Crabgrass: Weeds and crabgrass have thick roots and prevent the seed from reaching deep in the aerated soil, therefore preventing the new grass seed to take root.  Please pull or scalp weeds and crabgrass with a weed eater. If you have a significant amount of weeds and crabgrass, please call Growing Green at (336) 854-7999 as soon as possible and request a clean-up application. Please inform our office if you will be getting this application so that we can postpone your aeration service to three weeks post your application date.After Service
  •Proper Watering: Keep seed bed moist at all times.  This requires watering daily if rain is absent.  If possible, it is best to water two times per day, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. Fifteen (15) minutes per station should be adequate, as the objective is strictly surface moisture.  This process should continue until you have desired germination.  Fescue can take twenty one (21) days to germinate.

Once the grass is in, switch to a deep soaking regular watering after we have gone 2-3 days without a heavy rain.

• Proper Mowing: Skip mowing for at least one week (longer if possible). Mow the new grass when it is of mowing height being careful of turns with the mower as the young grass is shallowly rooted.Special Notes
  •It is Southern Exposure’s policy that if a rogue storm washes the seed, we will perform the service again at cost.
• We will provide wheat straw where lawn is bare at a rate of $8 per bale for customers outside a service contract.  This price includes the labor and material (Since straw can germinate, we will only place straw on completely bare areas in the lawn.)

Watering/Moisture is the key to seed germination success! Be diligent in your watering and results will follow.

Located in Summerfield, NC Southern Exposure Landscape Management specializes in the design, installation, and maintenance of residential and commercial projects throughout the Greensboro Triad Area (High Point, Jamestown, Burlington, Reidsville, Oak Ridge, Brown Summit, Summerfield). We are the premier Greensboro mulch installer. With over 20 years in business, Southern Exposure has the experience and knowledge to create beautiful garden features and flower beds in the landscape. Southern Exposure is the leading landscape management firm in Greensboro, NC. With attention to detail and a solid knowledge of design, Southern Lights, (a division of Southern Exposure) has installed hundreds of outdoor landscape lighting systems and carries more certifications than anyone in the state in the state of NC and beyond. See why our clients choose us. Contact us today by web (online form) or phone (336.451.4969)