Healthy soil is your ticket to a beautiful lawn. By aerating and enriching the soil, you’re treating the cause – not the symptom – of most lawn problems. Core Aeration: Most landscaping companies offer core aeration. You can also rent an aerator from a hardware store. Skip the spike aerators – go for the core aerators that pull up plugs of grass and dirt 2-3 inches long. This is best done in fall, but early spring is good so long as the lawn is not soaked because machinery compacts wet soils. Whether spring or fall, the lawn should be green and growing, not brown and dormant. Compost: Compost is wonderful because it adds organic matter to your lawn. This increases airflow, water-holding capacity, and beneficial soil organisms – all of which are critical to soil health. Traditional fertilizers – including organic ones – don’t have the ability to do this and can harm beneficial soil organisms. Fine-textured compost is best as it quickly sinks into the lawn. Fertilizer spreaders work well for this or rake it in. Aim for a depth of ¼ to ½ inch. For every 1,000 square feet of lawn, you’ll need ¾ to 1 ½ cubic yards of compost. Avoid coarse compost unless you’re okay with a lawn covered with black “dirt” for a couple of weeks. Compost Tea: Compost Tea is sometimes available, or you can make your own. Fill a burlap sack with one-part compost and suspend it in five-parts water for several days in a large can or bucket. Aerate the water around the sack with a pond or fish tank aerator. Keep it cool and out of the sun. Spray it on the lawn with a pump- or hose-sprayer, full strength, or diluted with water. Apply in spring when the grass starts to green up, and then once a month.