How do I get rid of all these soil plugs?

Our aerating machines pull twice as many cores as compared to my competitors or rental yard machines. Spiking the turf does nothing to alleviate soil compaction. Many soil cores ejected onto the turf surface indicate a job well done. The best way to remove the cores is to simply mow them up. The lawn mower will do a great job pulverizing the cores, and sucking up loose debris. The soil plugs that do not get sucked up will eventually melt back into the turf providing a valuable top dressing that enriches soil near the surface and helps break down thatch.

How soon can I mow my lawn after the service?

You can mow the turf any time after it has been watered thoroughly. It is important to deep soak your lawn prior to mowing. This will break down the fertilizer into a water-soluble form so that it may enter the root zone and not be displaced by mowing.

I wasn't home when my lawn was aerated. The aeration job looks great but I don't see any evidence of fertilizer on my lawn. Did the technician forget to fertilize?

We go through approximately two tons of fertilizer a week. Our technicians lay it on super thick with Earth-way spreaders. Unfortunately, the fertilizer is very hard to detect unless you know exactly what to look for. The fertilizers being used are tiny, odorless gray granules that fall between the blades of grass directly to the roots. Thus, making it difficult to tell whether your lawn has been fertilized. If you do not see any results in approximately 14 days, please calls us and we will gladly re-fertilize at no additional cost.

Can you apply a weed and feed fertilizer?

No, we do not offer these services.

I received a coupon in the mail from one of your competitors advertising a cheaper price. Do you match competitor coupons?

We do not match advertised lower prices. We keep our prices as low as we can competitively keep for an insured, licensed professional business. We are the industry leader in the lawn aerating business. The only way the competition can compete with Four Seasons Lawn Aeration INC. is on price. Our superior machines, outstanding service and incredible results makes us the number one choice for San Diego County. Make sure to read the small print on the coupon. The low-ball price for aeration comes with out fertilizer. The proposed $5 to $10 discount is not worth it. I have had many customers call me to service their lawns after going for the lower prices because of the poor tine penetration and lack of soil plugs extracted. We use exclusive golf-course type aerating machines that are cam driven, so the tines penetrate in an up and down fashion verses my competitors drum driven roller type units which rely on the weight of the machine to push the cores into the soil. The drum rolling machines are not effective on hard soils or thickly thatched lawns, which describes most lawns in the county.

How often should my lawn be aerated?

Turf aeration should be done 2 – 4 times per year. The San Diego Water Authority has recently updated their recommendation of aeration to a minimum of twice a year for optimum water saving efforts. Turf aeration is a long- term process with each service correcting and improving compaction problems. This process is a very important aspect of turf management with enormous benefits when done on a quarterly to bi-annual program.

Can I seed at the same time?

Yes. Combining aeration with seeding is an excellent idea. Seeding immediately following aeration allows the majority of seed to germinate in the plugholes. Aeration loosens up the soil, giving new plant roots "room to grow". This applies to overseeding existing turf or planting new grass.

My gardener recently applied a pre-emergent and advised me not to aerate this season, because it would disrupt the application. How long must I wait? 

 Studies show that pre-emergent applications are not affected by core aeration. Weed seeds on the top of the pre-emergent barrier will not grow down through the barrier, nor will weeds grow "side-ways" toward the aeration holes. Feel free to aerate before, or after treating for annual weeds.