Aeration will relieve this compaction and should be undertaken in the spring.  This will allow the soil temperature to rise more quickly and allow the surface, which has just come through a Winter period of rain, frost and maybe snow, to start to “breathe”.  It should also be carried out again in the Autumn after the heavy wear and tear of summer activities and to “open up” the surface to aid drainage during the winter months. 

This work is done with a solid or hollow coring tine machine.  Hollow coring tines take out a “plug” of soil and this is ideal if you want to change the texture of your soil.  For instance, if you have a clay soil you can introduce top soil each year by brushing the material into the hollows.