Expert Advice for your Lawn & Garden TV Host of Today's Homeowner^® and home expert for The Weather Channel

To the initiated, an aerator resembles a lawn mower only a little wider, squatter, and heavier. The undercarriage looks like a medieval torture device, with a spinning cylinder of rotating coring spikes, much like a round hair brush on steroids. The idea behind aerating your yard is to break up the compacted soil which in turn has several benefits for your grass.

A bare spot in the lawn can be unsightly and annoying. You can pamper the area and wait for the surrounding grass to fill in, but this takes time and patience.

We all know our lawns need water. But “how much”, “how often” and “when” are the questions. Turf expert Dr. Trey Rogers explains that early morning is the best time to water (between 4am and 9am) because the rising sun will dry off grass leaves.

Keeping your lawn and garden watered is a chore that can be greatly benefited by sprinklers. Unfortunately, the options have been dragging around a portable sprinkler and guessing at the right location, or spending large amounts of money on an in-ground irrigation system. The Naan Undercover Sprinkler may be the compromise you’re looking for.

Turf expert Dr. Trey Rogers tells us the best way to insure good lawn health is to mow properly. That begins with a sharp mower blade and mowing more often.

Dr. Trey Rogers has a few tips for establishing a lawn from seed. Trimming is crucial for planting. Plant in late fall or early spring for cool season grasses. Warm season grasses should be planted in late spring or early summer. For new construction homes consider a soil test to determine if the soil is sub-soil instead of topsoil.

Lawns by nature require some work, but you can reduce the amount of work and time spent by following a few simple guidelines. Good soil is the start, so aerate the lawn.

Groundcovers are a great solution for hard-to-grow areas of the yard, but they are often hard to contain once they take off. Many of these plants spread by runners and roots, so you have to create a barrier both above and below the soil to adequately control them.

Shady, hilly areas are great for groundcover plants because they hold and protect the soil without the benefit of lots of sun. Plants like adjuga and jasmine are ideal, but the important thing is to space them properly. Check with nurseries or garden centers to find out their size at maturity. This is important because some groundcover, like juniper, can spread to as much as six feet across.