The important part of what you are looking for in the "jar" test is organic matter, how much is there. Compacted soils are usually the result of a lack of adequate amounts of organic matter in the soil. Your University of Connecticut offers a very inexpensive soil test, http://www.soiltest.uconn.edu/

Once adequate amounts of organic matter are worked into the soil aeration will no longer be necessary.

A good reliable soil test is one tool to use to help make a good healthy soil that will grow a strong and healthy lawn or garden. Soil pH is as important as nutrient levels and the nutrient levels need to be in balance. Along with the "jar" test and the soil test from UCONN these simple soil tests may be of some help,

1) Soil test for organic
material. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in
a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and
replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24
hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight.
For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the
bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above
that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole
1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains
away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain
away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs
more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the
soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful
of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is
released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a
finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your
soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant
odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria
will be and the nicer your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter
can be bad as well.

5) Life. How many
earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5,
according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that
is not healthy.

kimmq is kimmsr

"Compacted soils are usually the result of a lack of adequate amounts of organic matter in the soil."

??? My exact answer is something I refuse to post in an open forum. Let's just say this is wrong.

Compaction is the result of traffic over an area. Certain soil types are more prone to it than others. And that's about as far as we're going to go, because if we are dealing a mason jar soil test, we do have the information required to delve into this any more.

So let's start at the beginning.

#1. Aerate. Not only not a bad idea, it's a very good idea. If you are starting with a bare lawn, I'd consider tilling as a means of prep, and aeration as an ongoing thing.

#2. Seed. Turf lawns like sun. That's just how it is. Sunny mix grass seed is the same seed as shady mix, just in slightly different proportions. So put a little more in the shady areas. Seed likes a little loose soil to get started in, so tilling makes sense, in particular if you are starting with basically nothing.

#3. Water. It's about that complicated. Actually, here is where it gets complicated, but you're going to learn that yourself.

Turf grass is simple. You can grow turf on a concrete parking lot. Perfect lawns are hard, because we make them so.

We are coming up on the end of the traditional seeding period. Not saying you can't do it and be successful, just that having success with seeding in the middle of the summer is going to take more attention, more water, and has a higher chance of failure. However, I'm also going to guess you don't want to go through the summer with a muddy yard, so I'd give it a try.

You may want to establish an area where you try to train the dogs to do their bidness. Or even just a kennel run. And that starts another line of discussion...lawns, dogs, and fertilizer. But one thing at a time, okay?

Where in CT are you? I have some contacts around Groton, and live in Fairfield County.

We've been over this point countless times but compaction is a fact of life with lawns. Foot traffic, kids playing, pet traffic, running lawn mowers and other gardening equipment and even rainfall result in compaction. Adding organic matter is a temporary alleviation at best as it doesn't remain in place for long - it decomposes and then you are faced with exactly the same situation.

I've advised on and taught lawn care classes long enough to recognize the importance of routine core aeration to reduce compaction. It too is only temporary but it is easily addressed and is the only effective method of both opening the soil profile and getting OM down into it. And the timing of core aeration is not critical - it can be done at any time of year or you can include it as part of your routine spring or fall lawn care regime.

"Compacted soils are usually the result of a lack of adequate amounts of organic matter in the soil."

Just to reiterate, this is not correct. I have between 8-11 % OM in my soil and I have areas of compaction. In addition to the physical activities that cause compaction, incorrect ratios and amounts of nutrients can also cause binding, surface tension, and compaction. In my case, I had really high Magnesium levels, and low Calcium... I am working to correct this, in combination with annual core aeration. I believe low potassium levels can also cause this.

Waynedanielson i live in middlesex county not right on the water but on the shore

Perhaps this From Colorado State University might help some understand soil compaction and its correction a bit better.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/215.html

kimmq is kimmsr

The article does a nice job of reiterating that compaction is the result of many different factors, not just OM. It also recommends core aeration.

You're kinda in the middle of where I know people...I know people to the east and to the west, but not so much in between. but there are no shortage of yard people, site prep/excavators, landscape people...this is just a yard. As I said before, turf is easy. We tend to make things more complicated than needed, but people are like that...when in doubt, look at the rules of grammar.

If you like to try to do things yourself, find a rental store. Anyone can do this, all it takes is time and effort. Or sign the check and let someone else do the work. It's your choice. All it takes is time or money...a little more of one or the other, depending on your priorities.

I'd take a little time to talk to a few landscape people local to you. Being on the shore might influence seed choice. For instance, I have in-laws in Stamford who live so close to the shore (two blocks), they have to deal with salt spray damage to landscape plants. It's not a normal thing, as in it doesn't happen every week, but every year, there's at least one major storm that causes spray damage in the neighborhood. So talk to someone who knows the local conditions. Undoubtedly, you have neighbors who have a lawn guy...someone will be able to get you started.

kimmq is kimmsr...let's put it this way...I know this stuff.

LOL!! I guess posting links about soil compaction doesn't mean you have to read them first :-))

But then there is a bit of a difference between those who do this stuff for a living and those who think they know all about it but never actually do it other than in their own yards

Several comments here that state that adding organic matter does not relieve soil compaction and yet the article linked says

"Techniques to minimize Soil Compaction

Adding Organic Matter

Ideally, cultivate organic soil amendments into the top six to eight inches of the soil. On compacted/clayey soils, anything less can lead to a shallow rooting system with reduced plant growth, lower vigor, and lower stress tolerance."

I am not sure why those that do not quite grasp the basics of organic growing do not grasp that either.

Organic matter in soils, especially clay, will open up the pore spaces between the soil particles which then allows both water and air to flow through easier. Where
I have put in adequate amounts of organic matter in clay soils compaction has been relieved, drainage and plant growth has improved, not right away but in a few years.

kimmq is kimmsr

I'd make a point, but then I'd be arguing with stupid...and that never ends well.

So the point is this...

There were eleven commandments handed down to Moses...and the first of these was, kimmq is kimmsr cannot be wrong. And three days after everyone else put this to bed, kimmq is kimmsr had to have the last word, lest any one doubt the veracity of the first commandment.

No one argued that organic matter doesn't alleviate compaction. Your statement that lack of organic matter is the cause of compaction is incorrect.

Additionally, the fasted way to get OM 6-8 inches down is to punch holes all over the yard, then topdress with compost. Adding compost any other way is just creating a thin layer of good soil on top of poor draining soil below. Pointless. The objective is to change the soil profile, not to put a bandaid on it

The more OM you have in your soil, the more earthworms you have, and the more "natural aeration" takes place. That said, in areas with a whole lot of foot traffic or in neglected lawns that really have zero OM present, aeration is a great way to open up the soil and get OM deep down in there by adding compost on top (as sc77 said).

Also, no offense to gardengal48 but most of us gardenwebbers joined to forums to get advice from real people. Unfortunate as it is, most of the people "who do this for a living" don't really seem to know what they're talking about these days. Not that that refers to you, gardengal, because there are a few who DO actually know what they're doing but it's difficult to know which are which when they all call themselves "professionals". So let's not be condescending to those here who chime in with their personal experience. We're all here to help educate each other. And in the garden, personal experience really does bear a lot of weight.

I personally am a novice at best. When we had a lawn for the first time, I did what most people do, and hired professionals to take care of it. When the lawn wasn't looking too great I was told I needed to water more often and to mow less. When weeds started to pop up, they applied chemicals. When Dallisgrass popped up and wasn't going away, they told me I should consider laying down new sod. I got fed up andfinally fired them and with the help of some very informative and friendly gardenwebbers I learned that many of my problems were because of their practices. I also learned a heck of a lot about lawn care and my lawn is looking better and better every year.

"Unfortunate as it is, most of the people "who do this for a living"
don't really seem to know what they're talking about these days."

I'm not sure why you would say that because it is patently obvious to me just from reading the posts who is a professional or has an extensive horticultural background and who is just a hobby gardener. You can tell just by their knowledge base, the way they explain themselves and the advice they give. I've been part of these forums for nearly 15 years and I have yet to find industry professionals who participate in these forums give out bad advice, although we may disagree on some of the details :-) OTOH, I see incorrect information/bad advice dispensed by home gardeners all the time, justified by the fact that they've done it for years and so therefore it must be right. It's not a matter of being condescending to those who post their own personal experience - I have no issue with that as long as the experience is supported both by science and accepted horticultural practice. What I DO find issue with is those who parrot back information they read without practical, hands-on experience or who argue needlessly against established, verified methods and practices.

And since when are professionals not 'real people'??

sc77 said, " No one argued that organic matter doesn't alleviate compaction. Your statement that lack of organic matter is the cause of compaction is incorrect."

You misread what I wrote. Read it again.

sc77 said, "Additionally, the fasted way to get OM 6-8 inches down is to punch holes all over the yard, then topdress with compost."

None of the aerators I have ever seen would punch large enough holes in the soil, and certainly not 6 to 8 inches deep, to make enough difference in the amount of organic matter in the soil. A 1/4 inch hole 3 inches deep might help somewhat, but if the soil is so compacted that large amounts of organic matter need to be mixed into the soil tilling is the best way to do that. An aerator that does go 6 to 8 inches deep may punch holes in the in ground irrigation pipes, as well.

Professionals not being "real people" reminds me of the current Chevrolet ads that state the people in them are "real people" not actors.

The purpose of these forums is for people to share what they know, hopefully without being disagreeable about it, or writing that "I am an authority and that other person is ignorant" type of answers.

kimmq is kimmsr

kimmq is kimmsr, I did read what you wrote. Several times. There is no way what you wrote can in any way be interpreted to mean anything other than lack of organic matter causes soil compaction.

"Compacted soils are usually the result of a lack of adequate amounts of organic matter in the soil."

your statement does not say this is the only cause, but certainly states this is A cause.

Your rewriting defines the first commandment. kimmq is kimmsr cannot be wrong. He ain't right, but he cannot be wrong. And yes, from words you have written in the past, I know you are a he.

You got the relationship backwards. Soil organic matter is not a cause of compaction...that's pressure. It can be from raindrops. Certain soil types have physical properties that make them more susceptible to compaction under certain conditions, but any soil can be compacted. One of the conditions that soils that have been compacted often have is low organic matter...but it is not the only one, and it is not a cause. It's also one of the few physical properties of soil that you have any realistic hope of changing.

(ironically, for the purposes of discussions in these forums, one of the physical characteristics of soils that are usually not compacted is sand. To understand that, you have to know a little about the prismatic nature of sand particles, as well as their nearly inert chemistry. sandy soils also often have very low organic matter, but that's just coincidence, right? However, my prediction is: a lecture about why adding sand is rarely a benefit, the perils of adding not enough, and how much it takes to create any benefit.)

Since when does core aeration not assist in the addition of organic matter to the soil profile? To make such a claim is crazy talk. It's like my left foot...it's just not right. You now have a series of holes as deep as you set the machine. Air and organic matter are not able to enter the soil profile to the depth of the core. And as much as anything, it's not the organic matter that is helping...it's the air. Now, things down there can breathe. Composting can happen, microbes can be more efficient...the list of benefits from this is unending.

Every once in a while, if a lawn has deteriorated to the point that there is little or no viable turf left, then by all means, consider tilling...again, a lot of potential benefits, but it's just one of a number of possible techniques one can use.

I read it...In fact I read it like 20x now. It's very clear what the statement said:

"Compacted soils are usually the result of a lack of adequate amounts of organic matter in the soil."

If you believe the above statement, then lets agree to disagree. It's not true. There are a number of causes of compaction, I am certain of that. Post some pictures of your lawn and soil tests, I have. You can look at my soil tests and see I have very high OM, but I have compaction in my back yard. It's being caused because I have a ton of foot traffic with my dog and family running around all the time. Additionally, I have an out of wack Magnesium to Calcium ratio, which is causing the soil to bind.

Wayne nailed it on why we use core aeration. The open holes are just one benefit, it's also allowing oxygen to get down into the soil profile. Honest question, have you ever used a core aerator? The holes are 3 inches deep and plenty wide for grains and compost to fall into, especially if you flip a rake on it's back and slide the compost around... or use compost tea.

While they certainly don't go 6 inches down, they give you a 50% head start on getting that material down to that level, and you bypass the biggest problem for OM, breaking past the surface.

If the statement was read then it was not understood.

Lack of soil organic matter is a cause of soil compaction, which is what I said and is what the article I linked said. A chemical imbalance is another contributor to hard soils but is most often referred to as hardpan and not soil compaction.

I have used core aerators when confronted with a soil that was so compacted that water would not flow into it, but once there was adequate amounts of organic matter in the soil the use of that core aerator was no longer necessary and foot traffic, kids playing football and soccer on that lawn, did not cause compaction. It did, however, take 5 years to get the soil organic matter levels up to that 6 to 8 percent. Tilling in a large amount of organic material would have sped that process up.

kimmq is kimmsr