HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- There are lots and lots of things you can do for your lawn but one you should be doing is aerating your lawn both in the spring and late summer.

Aeration does several things to promote a better looking lawn, like improving the air penetration in the soil. In order for the roots to grow properly, they need air and water near their root system. Aerating your lawn will certainly accomplish this.

Along with improving air circulation, using an aerator will improve water penetration and certainly loosen up the soil for better root penetration. As I mentioned, if you had your druthers, you should aerate twice a year.

Now there are several different types of aerators. However, the best one is where the machine rolls over your lawn and pulls out plugs of soil. It does create a mess for a couple days but after awhile, all those plugs will disappear. Here, the benefit far outweighs the disadvantages.

Check out your rent all dealers for a slit seeder with an aerator. You might be able to share the cost with your neighbor because it won't take any time at all to use these great pieces of lawn equipment.