A soil aeration device (10) may include a plurality of arcuate blades (15)mounted to an assembly adapted to rotate and translate the blades (15)proximate a ground surface, thereby forming aeration pockets in the soil. Incertain embodiments, the arcuate tines (15) penetrate and fracture the soilwhile minimizing the amount of soil lifted from the pocket deposited on thetop of the soil. In various embodiments, a planetary gear assembly (13)imparts to the tine a trans lational and rotational movement which creates afractured pocket in the soil while minimizing the amount of soil lifted fromthe pocket and deposited on the surface of the soil. In still otherembodiments, 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.
