On Mar 13, 4:27*pm, "Clot" wrote:
wrote:
I'm posting this here in case anyone searches Google for help aerating
clay soil and needs ideas. This worked great for me and I'd like to
share it.

A snip

What finally worked great was to use a 1-inch auger drill bit with my
power drill:
http://www.hardwarestore.com/media/p...8_front200.jpg
(You need an auger bit, not a paddle bit, because you need the dirt to
be pulled out of the hole.)
Using this, I was able to properly aerate the front and back lawns in
about 4 hours. Hope this helps anyone else in a similar dilemma!

This is a relatively short term fix. The clay is still clay. You need to
improve the soil. Try brushing/ raking a mix of sand and compost into the
holes which will keep the holes open longer and also aid biological activity
in the soil..

Am I the only one here who finds it hard to believe that in the Los
Angeles area no company rents core aerators? I've rented them from
Home Depot, for example. It sure sounds like a hell of a lot less
work and a hell of a lot more holes in a hell of a lot less time.