Which device loosens compacted soil by creating many small holes and can lift plugs using hollow cores?

• A. Power Aerator
• B. Vertical Mower
• C. Power Tiller
• D. Riveter/ Pop Rivet Gun

Answer: (A)

Relieving soil compaction by letting air, water, and roots move more freely is what aeration is all about. A core aerator does this by using hollow tines to puncture the soil and remove small plugs, creating many little holes and lifting the plugs out as it works. That combination—creating holes and pulling out soil cores—directly loosens compacted soil and improves drainage and root access, which is exactly what this device is designed to do.

The other tools aren’t built for this purpose: a vertical mower dethatches and lightly disturbs the surface rather than producing core holes; a power tiller churns and mixes soil but doesn’t typically remove plugs and thus doesn’t provide the same lasting relief from compaction; a rivet gun is for fastening hardware and has no role in soil work.