Why We Aerate Our Soil: A Deep Dive into Soil Health

As gardeners, one of our most important jobs is to take care of the soil. Not just the surface layer where we pop our seedlings in—but the whole ecosystem beneath our feet. Because soil isn’t just dirt. Dirt is dead—lacking life, structure, and the rich nutrients needed to grow thriving plants. But soil? Soil is alive. It breathes, it pulses with life, and it holds the key to growing nutrient-rich food for our families.

Underneath the surface is a magical, microscopic world made up of bacteria, fungi, microbes, protozoa, insects, worms—and many other players we’ll never see, but who quietly do the work of feeding our plants and building soil health. When we understand and respect this living web, we become not just gardeners, but caretakers of a much bigger system.

Healthy Soil = Healthy Food

In a forest, soil builds itself naturally. Leaves fall, microbes feast, and no one turns it over with a fork. But in our gardens—especially our hardworking vegetable beds—we’re asking more from the soil. We harvest from it constantly, often year-round. So, to support this, we need to give back and actively build up its structure, nutrients, and biology.

And here’s the beautiful part: healthy soil not only grows better food, but it also stores carbon. Yep, by tending our soil well, we’re helping in the bigger picture—doing our part to address climate change in our own backyards.

Water, sunlight, and healthy soil. Those are the big three. And soil health doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of balance. The key foundations of thriving soil are:

• Soil ecology (all those tiny underground helpers)

• Mineral balance

• Drainage

• Aeration

Let’s talk about that last one—because it’s easy to overlook, and it’s absolutely crucial.

Why Aeration Matters

Soil needs oxygen. Just like us, it needs to breathe. Plants pull water from the roots up to the leaves using a process that relies on oxygen being present in the soil. Microorganisms also need it to transform organic matter into nutrients. When soil is compacted—especially from foot traffic or heavy rainfall—it loses the air pockets that allow all this magic to happen.

Yes, worms and fungi do a great job creating natural channels. But sometimes, especially in productive garden beds, the soil needs a little more help from us.

That’s where our Crafty Gatherer Forksta and broadfork come in.

Tools That Work With, Not Against, the Soil

We designed our Forksta and broadfork to gently loosen the soil without disturbing its layers. Their strong tines penetrate deep, creating air and water pathways while leaving the soil’s living structure intact. No flipping. No breaking. Just opening it up to breathe.

This kind of deep aeration improves water flow, boosts microbial activity, and creates ideal conditions for root growth—especially for closely spaced crops. And when roots grow deep, they access more nutrients, building stronger, more resilient plants.

We don’t aerate all the time—just in between crops, depending on what was growing. Combined with practices like adding organic matter and minerals, limiting compaction, planting cover crops, and rotating crops, you’re well on your way to building thriving, productive soil.

So yes, soil is a living thing. And when we give it space to breathe, it gives back in abundance.