# scarifier or aerator or both?



## goodtimes1104 (May 18, 2018)

I'm in northern VA and getting ready to begin my fall renovation with TTTF. I have a sun joe detacher/scarifier on its way as I plan to clean up lots of debris. Since I was planning on also using the scarifier before overseeding, is there a use for aeration? If I was to do both, should one be completed before the other i.e. scarify then aerate or vice versa? Last year I did mechanical aeration and had great immediate results. My soil is not as compacted either but it wouldn't hurt to aerate. Any advice is greatly appreciated.


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

So...the use of aeration while seeding is not a settled debate.
But here is where I stand:
Aerate if your soil is compacted or if you are trying to add something like compost to your existing soil.
If you are aerating in order to improve seed to soil contact, I think it is not necessary. Your dethatcher should be sufficient for loosening the soil enough to make a nice seedbed.

Can you aerate anyway? Sure. I don't know how it would hurt your seeding efforts. However, many of us are mindful of weed seed intruders and see aeration as a risk not worth taking for the purpose of seeding -- assuming, that the soil isn't compacted.


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## goodtimes1104 (May 18, 2018)

social port said:


> So...the use of aeration while seeding is not a settled debate.
> But here is where I stand:
> Aerate if your soil is compacted or if you are trying to add something like compost to your existing soil.
> If you are aerating in order to improve seed to soil contact, I think it is not necessary. Your dethatcher should be sufficient for loosening the soil enough to make a nice seedbed.
> ...


Thanks for the input. I was along the same thought process but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.


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