Improved infiltration will be immediately apparent. If hard soils are breaking tines or shaking operators too hard, consider using new deep-tine aeration machines that utilize large blades that create ...

Double aeration will produce twice the amount of holes, but does not require twice the work or twice the recovery time. A typical aeration program utilizes 5/8-inch outside diameter tines on 1.5-inch ...

Check the tines on the tiller and replace as needed when they wear down. Check the coring devises on the aerator for nicks or plugged cores. Rocks can get lodged into cores.

It's not just lawn aerator shoes that are ineffective but aerators with solid spikes in general. These tines don't bring soil or thatch to the surface — a key step in reducing compaction.

When renting an aerator, be sure it’s a model that has hollow tines that pull up soil cores. DeBoer advises against using a machine with solid tines or trying to aerate a yard with a pitchfork ...

Using an aerator can make a big difference, and one pass over a lawn is typically enough, DeBoer said. “You may even see a greening effect around each hole within a couple of weeks,” he said.