How to Aerate Your Lawn: Tips from the Professionals.Aerating the lawn manually

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The 8 Best Lawn Aerators of | by The Spruce.The 8 Best Lawn Aerators of 2023

 

We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. A top-quality lawn aerator creates soil-deep holes that allow air, water, and fertilizer to reach the roots of your grass, keeping your lawn healthy , nourished, and looking its best.

We researched dozens of lawn aerators, evaluating ease of use, functionality and features, and overall value. The winner, the Brinly-Hardy PABH Tow Behind Plug Aerator , has a durable steel design and a universal hitch, handles well on turns and uneven terrain, and can penetrate even compacted soil.

Here are the best aeration tools. With a universal hitch that can attach to any lawn tractor, UTV, or ATV, this Brinly-Hardy plug aerator is the best choice for anyone with a large lawn. The inch width and 24 3-inch plugs help cover large areas quickly. A weight tray holds up to pounds of concrete blocks to ensure adequate ground penetration. An easy-to-use transport lever allows you to disengage the plugs quickly to avoid sidewalks or sprinkler components.

Since sandy soils are much easier to aerate than clay soils, the Agri-Fab Spike Aerator is a great choice. With 10 spikes and a weight tray that can hold pounds of balance weight, it has a universal hitch that will work with any lawn tractor or UTV.

The hitch folds up for easier storage. The galvanized spikes can penetrate to a depth of 2. The flat-free tires roll smoothly and will never need to be filled. With a three-year limited warranty, this solid steel aerator will last through many years of lawn care. When you have heavy soil, you need a heavy-duty lawn aerator. The Agri-Fab plug aerator has 32 galvanized plugs that will penetrate to a depth of three inches. Able to hold pounds of weight 4 concrete blocks , the steel construction will withstand years of use.

For best results, secure the blocks with bungee cords to prevent shifting during use. With a universal hitch that fits all lawn tractors and UTVs, the cantilever transport handle makes raising and lowering the plugs an easy task. The ten-inch tires will not deflate and roll smoothly over even rutted terrain. Fortunately, you can still loosen the soil by using a liquid aerator like Simple Lawn Solutions. The proprietary mixture of surfactants and other ingredients breaks apart soil colloids to improve water and nutrient absorption.

The product mixes with water and is used at a rate of one ounce per 1,square-feet of grass. This soil loosener works well before seeding a lawn or manual aeration to make the task easier. You can still aerate the lawn with the Agri-Fab push aerator if you don't have a lawn tractor.

This push aerator is outfitted with spikes and works best on small lawns with loamy soils. You can also pull this aerator. Just inches wide, it can accommodate one concrete block to help push the five spiked discs into the ground to a depth of 2. It is inches high, weighs about 27 pounds, and has a small footprint for storage. A handheld aerator is much easier to store and can get into tight places where a tow-behind aerator cannot go.

Yard Butler offers both plug core and spike handheld aerators. The plug type has two tines that will penetrate up to 3. The spike aerator has four 3-inch spikes. Both aerators are made of steel, measuring 37 inches high and weighing around 4 pounds.

Each has rubber padded handles and a footrest for ease in pushing the aerator into the soil. While you might be tempted to try aerating a lawn with golf shoes or cleats, you need actual aerator shoes to get the job done. With 13 solid steel spikes in each shoe, penetrating up to 2 inches, the Ohuhu Lawn Aerator Shoes aerates a lawn properly.

The spikes strap onto sturdy shoes with adjustable hook and loop fasteners. Measuring 12 inches long and 5-inches wide, the shoes will fit most men and women. It takes a bit of practice to find your rhythm. Start with small steps and use a walking stick or tool handle for support until you get the hang of it. To make the task easier, lightly water the lawn for easier penetration.

Aerating may allow your lawn better access to the water and air it needs to grow. But it also doesn't address the issue of piled-up and compressed growth, which can prevent all that from happening. For this, many lawn care experts recommend "scarifying" or de-thatching—removing the built-up thatch. It is physically difficult to do this with a rake, both for the energy it takes and for the amount of distance needing to be covered.

We found that the electrically powered Sun Joe AJE, which uses a rotating bladed cylinder to scrape up the detritus, accomplishes the task effectively and in far less time. We like the product for its amp electric motor, and for its The pound, ETL-approved de-thatcher features a single-handle, five-position depth control, from less than half an inch below the soil to just under half an inch above.

This way you can be sure you set the machine to remove what you want removed and not an entire swath of sod. The scarifying blade is pre-attached, but you also can swap out a rake attachment included, but you need an adjustable wrench. The handles require minimal assembly, with included hardware.

We recommend using the Sun Joe without the included collection bag, as it is fairly small and fills up fast, requiring interminable emptying. Also, this is not a machine for large lawns, as the manufacturer strongly advises using an extension cord no longer than feet.

Our top pick is the Brinly-Hardy inch Tow Behind Plug Aerator , which works well on clay and sandy soils, and has a heavy-duty steel construction that will last for years.

If you're specifically looking for a tow-behind spike aerator, the Agri-Fab Spike Aerator is a great choice. It has galvanized spikes that can penetrate to a depth of 2.

If you have hard, clay soil or water puddles in the grass after rain, then you should choose a plug aerator. By removing larger pieces or plugs of dirt, nutrients can penetrate more easily to the roots of the grass. If the soil is sandy or loamy, then the more narrow puncture of a spike aerator will give you the aeration needed.

Not sure what type of soil you have? Grab a handful of the soil and squeeze. If it forms a hard lump in your hand, you have clay. If the soil does not stick together and falls away easily, you have sandy or loamy soil. Tow-behind aerators are best for lawns larger than one-half acre and regular in shape. Consider the width of the aerator and your turn radius as you shop.

For smaller lawns and irregularly-shaped grass spaces, choose a push aerator, handheld model, or aerator shoes. A tow-behind aerator is going to require something to pull it along. You must have a lawn tractor, ATV, or small utility vehicle. Tow-behind models and push models also need weights usually several concrete blocks to help them penetrate the soil.

Consider the storage space required for all of these items. The best type of aerator depends on your lawn, storage space, and budget. Spike aerators use long spikes to make holes in your grass to allow water and nutrients to reach the roots and soil. Spike aeration is a temporary solution that works best on small lawns with loose loam or sandy soils. You can get small spike aerators that are handheld or attach to your shoes, or larger push or tow models.

For large areas with hard, compacted clay soils, plug aerators work best. When pushed down into the soil, a plug aerator removes plugs of dirt. This method provides larger holes that allow more nutrients to enter the soil and lasts for a longer period of time. Plug aerators can also be handheld or towed behind a lawn tractor. Ideally, you should aerate your lawn one to six inches deep. If you have sandy soil, look for a spike aerator that has at least a 2.

For more compact soils, your best choice is a plug aerator with hollow tines that can create three-inch plugs, like our top pick, the Brinly-Hardy Tow Behind Plug Aerator.

The best time to aerate the lawn is dependent on the type of lawn grass. Cool-season grasses Kentucky bluegrass should be aerated in the fall. The growing season is still active, but weeds are under control, and temperatures are cooler. Warm-season grasses Bermuda, centipede should be aerated in the spring. Most lawns only need to be aerated once per year. Of course, there are exceptions. If the lawn is part of new construction and the ground has been compacted by all of the equipment used during building, you may need aeration to ensure water reaches the roots of freshly laid sod.

While it is acceptable to aerate when damp, don't do it after heavy rains; you'll end up with a muddy mess that makes it hard for the lawn to recover. Mary Marlowe Leverette researched and wrote this roundup. She is a Master Gardener and has extensive personal and professional experience testing, reviewing, and writing about home and garden products.

You can find more of her work on The Spruce. Aerating Your Lawn - Virginia Tech. Virginia Cooperative Extension. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests.