How to aerate a small lawn without damaging grass?

[AKT]

What's the best way to aerate a small 30'x40' lawn without damaging grass?

[Phisherman]

I have a beautiful lawn and have never aerated it. The worms keep it well aerated. Is your lawn compacted? If so, eliminate the cause. Heavy machines and kids can quickly compact a lawn, so keep these off the grass especially when wet.

[Fran]

[beecrofter]

Assuming you need aeration plunge a spading fork into the soil full depth and give it a wiggle. Repeat about every 8". No need to do it all in one day. Here it's the eathworm's job, have yours been decimated by turf grass chemicals?

[brooklyn1]

You're showing your age... it's been nearly 30 years since golf shoes had spikes... today golf shoes use screw-in plastic cleats that are designed specifically not to penetrate sod. Today golf courses will not permit anyone on the course with the old fashioned spikes. The correct method for aerating a lawn is with a plugging tool.

[AKT]

Thanks for all the replies. Our lawn is not decimated or anything, just some areas are better than others and I read one should aerate lawns. Our situation doesn't allow us to forbid kids and people from the lawn.

At Home Depot I saw a gadget that had 2 hollow spikes, presumably to remove some dirt each time? Another had 4 solid spikes, so it will just make holes, which I suppose aerates enough.

But my reaction was, how inefficient? Shouldn't there be a tool which has a square with 16 spikes instead of a line with 4?

That's what I meant, something that would make efficient use of time and labor.

Thanks for your thoughts.

AKT wrote: : What's the best way to aerate a small 30'x40' lawn without damaging : grass?

[brooklyn1]

You'd need to weigh 500 pounds to stomp it in. There are roller type aerator/pluggers but they're too large for your little lawn and they cost big. Use the dual prong plugger, you'd be surprised at how quickly you can cover your small lawn... I bet it wouldn't take more than 3 hours and you don't have to do it all at one time.... and it's not like you need to do this all that often, perhaps once every 2-3 years.

[Billy]

Why not try to contact the grounds keeper for one of your local sports fields (football or soccer) and ask their advice. Could probably be done by phone.

You may want to start by looking at the following sites as well.

these sites use chemical fertilizers, which kill the ecology of the soil, and make you dependent on buying more chemferts, I suggest you look at

[brooklyn1]

Why, the OP hasn't a lawn big enough to play marbles.

I seriously doubt one could aerate a lawn by phone, not even with a land line.

[Fran]

[Steven Wayne]

How much money do you have to spare?

Easiest way, and cheapest, use a garden fork to make holes. I would suggest a day or so after it rains as the ground will be softer.

Best way, with a slitting aerator like this

it won't be cheap.

Steven