But if your grass is healthy and thriving and hasn't been impacted by a lot of equipment or foot traffic, it likely doesn't need aeration. Once annually is usually enough in most cases, and for healthy lawns that receive regular maintenance and are performing well, every two to three years may be sufficient.

Core aeration should be performed every one to two years on lawns that receive heavy foot traffic. Otherwise, aerating every two to four years on home lawns is sufficient. Soil plugs can be left on the surface of the lawn. They will decompose in a couple of weeks.

Buy a aeration spike or tool that can be mechanical or manual your choice it's your budget. The tool must pierce and remove a soil plug to actually work. The plug should be around 6” deep and around 1 1/8” diameter. If it doesn't actually remove a plug it won't work really you can just use a fork and pierce it.

Is lawn aeration necessary? Almost all lawns will benefit from aeration, and a great lawn demands it. That said, most lawns do not need it. Lawns suffering from heavy foot traffic, excessive thatch (>1 inch thick) or grown on heavy soils will benefit most.