Many people enjoy a beautiful, lush green lawn during the winter months. A weekend of aerating and over-seeding will get you exactly where you want to be with these simple steps.

So, what is aerating? Well, the quick answer is poking holes in the ground to loosen the soil.

Why should you aerate? When aerating you create holes in the earth that allow oxygen and water to penetrate the ground better. This allows for roots to go deeper and it helps to keep the lawn healthier by becoming more resistant to diseases and during seasons of drought.

The best type of aerator is a core aerator which pulls plugs out of the ground versus a spike aerator which has a tendency to compact the soil rather than loosen it. Make criss-cross patterns in your landscape to ensure full aeration in preparation for over-seeding.

We use rye grass in the fall and like to over-seed the next morning after aerating. This allows you to see your tracks in the dew on the ground and make sure your yard doesn't end up looking like a green zebra with a lot of seed here and only a little bit of seed there!

Once you have finished over-seeding you'll want to run your irrigation system to "activate" the seeds and watch it grow!

As with all landscapes, a lush green lawn in the winter means you will have to do a little more mowing than someone with a completely dormant lawn but the extra time on the mower will be well worth it when your neighbors stop by and say, "how did you get your grass to look so purdy?"