A soil aeration device (10) may include a plurality of arcuate blades (15) mountedto an assembly adapted to rotate and translate the blades (15) proximate a groundsurface, thereby forming aeration pockets in the soil. In certain embodiments,the arcuate tines (15) penetrate and fracture the soil while minimizing the amountof soil lifted from the pocket deposited on the top of the soil. In various embodiments,a planetary gear assembly (13) imparts to the tine a trans lational and rotationalmovement which creates a fractured pocket in the soil while minimizing the amountof soil lifted from the pocket and deposited on the surface of the soil. In stillother embodiments, the arcuate tine (15) may have mounted thereon a coring tube(25) that cuts and removes a plug from the pocket formed in the soil.
