Spiking lawns using a hollow-Lined aerator removes cores of soil about 1 cm (1/2 in) in diameter and up to 15 cm (6 in) long. This breaks through the compacted layer, allowing air in and moisture to evaporate.
Regular 'spiking' is a good short-term method for improving your soil's condition. True spiking takes a tool that punctures thin, long holes into the ground to improve drainage and increase oxygenation of the roots.
These spiking flowering plants come in pink, white, purple, and mixed colors. They are stunning performers all summer long. In the realm of foliage plants, try some of the new coleus - they will keep their color all summer until frost.
Spiking will only work if the aeration problem is extremely small or localized. But in that case a garden fork should easily suffice to break open the thatch just enough to get lawn aeration.
It sounds like funny advice; after all, most of us are either out of town on Christmas or just a little preoccupied by—oh, I don't know—the gifts, the meal, the spiking of eggnog, the assembling of miniature train tracks, ...
Cutting holes or slits in the lawn with a wheeled spiker, hollow-tined fork or an ordinary garden fork to improve drainage and allow air, water and fertiliser to reach the roots more easily. Also known as spiking.
In the eight decades since the ravenous pests were discovered in this country, gardeners have tried a host of controls, ranging from the conventional--handpicking and spraying--to the wacky--spiking grubs to death with aerator sandals.
Other types of aerators push solid spikes or tines into the soil without removing a plug (spiking). These are not as effective because they can contribute to compaction.
 See also: Water, Compacted, Soil, Grass, Lawn
  
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