Aeration and dethatching with a new lawn??

[BeautifulBlooms]

I went out to look at someone yard the other day who had just recently (last fall) had the landscape completed. The back yard was seeded and the front sodded. The sod wasn;t laid very well with overlaps and such (or maybe it was shifting from rains slightly I dont know. Anyways The sod was really thatchy and could really use an aeration immediately and then a dethatching either this coming fall or maybe next spring. This didn't look like healthy sod to me, because of the amount of dead material in there.

So my question is how soon after a lawn has been sodded would you guys aerate? I am worried the roller for the aerator is going to just roll up some of the sod.

What about dethatching should I wait until the sod is well established 1 full year or more????? It really looks bad and they just want the lawn to look in better shape.

My thoughts would be to aerate as soon as possible either early this spring or before the summer stress kicks in, and then dethatch the sod in the fall or possibly the spring.

Any input?

[jameson]

So my question is how soon after a lawn has been sodded would you guys aerate? I am worried the roller for the aerator is going to just roll up some of the sod.

As soon as it is firmly (give it the ole "pull" test) rooted... aerate away.

Unless the layer of "thatch" is more than 1/2" (which is doubtful) I would not concern myself with thatching.

Aerating the lawn (again) in the Fall, along with proper watering techniques throughout the season and a good fertilization program will completely eliminate the need to subject the lawn to any type of thatching (powered or manual).

[BeautifulBlooms]

Thanks for the help. I will inform them of the possibility of need for dethatching ( just in case I still feel it might be necessary) in the future but it shouldnt be done this year most likely. I will also tell them because the lawn is new and needs some attention 2 aerations this year would be best one now and one in fall to help try and get the thatch level to where it should be.

What about spraying broadleaves on a lawn seeded last fall, should i have any problem? The lawn has a juvenile stand of grass but it is about 75-85 % full. The grass just hasn't thickened out at all.