Maintaining an entire lawn isn't just about watering and mowing. Green healthier grass starts with the soil and that means aeration. Over time, especially with heavy foot traffic, your lawn gets packed down. This compacted soil acts like heavy clay and prevents water and fertilizer from soaking in.
Stop the problem before it starts, by aerating your lawn during the growing season, either in the late spring or early fall when the grass can recover quickly.
Clay soil may need treatment 2-3 times a year while sandy soil only annually.
Once a grass aerator pokes space into the compacted soil, nutrients can reach the root systems. The stronger these roots get, the better they'll compete and limit the spread of weeds.
By alleviating soil compaction you're on your way to a dream lawn.
Plug Aerators vs. Spike Aerators
Two main types of aerators are plug aerators and spike aerators. They both come in an array of models and can be an ideal choice for different circumstances.
Plug Aerators (Core Aerators)
- Use hollow tines to remove small plugs of soil from the ground
- Aeration process helps create healthier soil by allowing air, water, and nutrients to reach grass roots
- Available in walk-behind models and tow-behind models that attach to lawn mowers
- Heavy-duty designs spin hollow tines for more even penetration per square foot
- Aerated lawn improves overall grass health, though the leftover soil cores can be unsightly for some
Spike Aerators
- Use solid tines or spikes to puncture the soil and create holes for air and water penetration
- Come in towable aerators for large areas and manual tools for small plots or garden beds
- Generally easier to use and less expensive than plug aerators
- Risk of soil compaction if overused, since solid spikes push soil aside instead of removing it
- Best for light maintenance, breaking up garden beds, or narrow paths
Not ideal for entire lawns or dry, damaged soil
John Deere 48-inch Tow-Behind Plug Aerator
MSRP: $799.00
This John Deere tow-behind model is a heavy-duty aerator designed for larger lawns. Its universal hitch design works with most riding lawn mowers or ATVs, making it suitable piece of yard equipment for extensive lawn care projects. It's designed to carry extra weight which can pierce deeper than the average depth.
- 48-inch width with 3” heat-treated steel plugging spikes
- Impressive design allows spokes to spin continuously even on a 180 turn creating even soil plugs per square foot.
- Inflated tires equalize weight distribution, limiting soil compaction despite the heavier frame.
- This already heavily weighted tow-behind model offers an additional weight tray so that the hollow spikes reach maximum soil penetration
- It has a higher price tag but it is the machines of choice if a large healthier lawn is the goal.
STIHL RL-MM Lawn Aerator Attachment
MSRP: $74.99
This versatile tool is a rolling lawn aerator designed to work seamlessly with STIHL's Yard Boss multi-task system. It’s a quality manual option that uses a sharp spike aerator design to add a series of slits to promote healthy soil. By attaching it to the Yard Boss, you’ll effortlessly penetrate compacted soil, promoting better air circulation and water absorption for healthier turf and plant growth.
- Compatible with STIHL's Yard Boss multi-task system
- Easy attachment and detachment for quick operation
- Ideal manual lawn aerator for small to medium-sized lightly compacted ground conditions for healthier turf and plant growth
- Great to use before planting new grass seed to give roots a head start at deeper penetration.
WaLensee 4-Tine Spike Aerator
MSRP: $27.99
The WaLensee 4-Tine is an inexpensive option that uses sharp spikes. It does take some manual labor, so it's best for small plots of grass. This foot bar lawn tool has a compact design and padded handle that make it comfortable to maneuver. These manual aerators can relieve patches of compacted soil which can make a noticeable difference in a beautiful lawn.
- Four sturdy 3.5-inch tines and 35.5-inch tall padded T-shaped handle
- Comfortable handle for easy maneuverability and a strong foot platform for controlled weight distribution
- This lighter model is a tool of choice for light maintenance and basic lawn care as it gives a lot of control over how deep you want to disturb.
- Suitable for small to medium-sized lawns that don't require frequent spike aerating (garden beds, narrow paths, or sandy soil)
Spike aeration is perfect to use before transplanting seedlings to optimize plant growth and maximize plant food supplements.
Is it better to rent or buy a lawn aeration machine?
A healthy lawn takes consistent care, but a coring aerator can be a big investment. If you have a large yard, already own a riding mower, and want to prioritize lawn health, owning a towable type of aerator makes sense.
For a smaller lawn size, or soil types that don’t compact quickly, renting is often more practical and affordable. Limiting foot traffic also helps reduce compaction. If you still don’t see improvement, the issue may be technique; in that case, hiring a professional lawn service with commercial-grade equipment is worth considering.
Are spike shoes any good?
Aerator shoes are an inexpensive option for light aeration in average soil. Most come with stainless steel spikes that strap over your regular shoes.
They’re useful for small patches of grass or for tricky spots like slopes. But they don’t reach the same depth as a plug aerator, and the holes can be uneven. In some cases, it takes your full weight just to break through compacted turf.
Spike shoes or a simple foot-plate tool can give garden beds and patchy areas a boost; they’re not a replacement for aerating an entire lawn.
Improved soil aeration is rarely a bad thing for healthy grass, so no matter the aeration method you use as part of your lawn care program, you're bound to help root growth by helping organic matter and fresh water get down to the root systems.
