Fall is here, and it’s already taken its toll on my once-lush, green grass. But before the weather turns too chilly, October provides the perfect opportunity to repair damaged lawns and prepare them for the winter months ahead.

And one essential task is to aerate your lawn to prevent waterlogging and ensure key nutrients reach the soil. However, with constant drizzles and damp conditions expected throughout the fall season, is it okay to aerate a wet lawn?

I asked a lawn care expert to find out and get their top tips.

Generally, you can aerate a slightly damp lawn but not when it’s saturated with heavy rain — so it’s important to distinguish between the two.

“A simple rule is that damp is fine, soggy isn’t — if water is standing on the surface or the tines come out coated in sticky mud, wait a few days,” states Jonathan Davis, lawn care expert at Lawnsmith.

“Spring and fall are the best times to aerate partly because the soil is moist, which makes it easier to get the tines in, and showers can soak straight into the freshly aerated soil. What you don’t want is soil that’s so wet it smears. Then you’re not opening up the soil; you’re sealing it, and you still want air reaching the roots.”

What's the best way to aerate a damp lawn in fall? While there are several ways to aerate your lawn, it’s important to choose the right tool in fall.

Typically, there are two types of aerators – spike and core aerators.

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