In alt.home.lawn.garden Guv Bob wrote:

How's a good way to break up hard soil? Since it's all level, my first thought is to soak it good for a couple of days. I wonder if renting an aerator might also be good.

If your soil is like mine, there's a very narrow range of moisure levels
at which it's workable. I understand local farmers refer to it as "36
hour soil", which is the schedule window for plowing.

Too wet and it's like warm tar, too dry and it's extremely hard. In
the middle, it's rather crumbly. I'd soak a patch and poke it each
day after. _Maybe_ you'll find a day when it's workable.

HTH,

bob prohaska