{"id":8710,"date":"2022-04-21T15:11:31","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T15:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grasstrimmerreviews.co.uk\/?p=8710"},"modified":"2024-02-08T10:09:37","modified_gmt":"2024-02-08T10:09:37","slug":"how-to-scarify-a-lawn-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grasstrimmerreviews.co.uk\/how-to-scarify-a-lawn-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Scarify a Lawn UK"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanks for taking your time to read our information on how to scarify a lawn UK. Many homes throughout the UK have some type of lawn, at the front, side or rear of the home. Some lawns look like bowling greens and many others just look like a mixture of green, yellow and brown grass. Many are also covered with weeds and the dreaded moss.<\/p>\n

The key to a having a great looking lawn is some basic lawn care, which we know takes some time and a bit of your attention. The effort that you are willing to put in will reflect the way that your lawn looks. An often overlooked element of this is that a healthy lawn, that looks great can add value to your home. First impressions can make a big difference.<\/p>\n

Scarification is one of the lawn care processes, along with mowing your lawn, aerating your lawn and feeding your lawn. Scarifying is another word for raking your lawn. We like to think of it as a deeper form of raking.<\/p>\n

What is Scarification of a Lawn?<\/h2>\n

Scarification of a lawn is the removal of dead organic material such as dead grass, old grass clippings and dead moss. When this is removed the grass on your lawn can grow healthily both above and below the surface. In simple terms by removing the dead thatch, you allow rain, nutrients and air to get to the grass roots and that promotes healthy growth.<\/p>\n

The vast majority of people mow their lawn a few times a year, mostly from March through to November. Grass growth is faster in the UK during the Spring and Summer months. Small grass clippings and grass that has died fall down into the roots and build up to what is called a “thatch”. That thatch then holds rain water on the surface rather then getting down into the roots of the grass.<\/p>\n

That can make your lawn have a sponge feeling and in addition to that moss tends to grow where there is water and reduced light. So along with the thatch you also get the additional problem of moss.<\/p>\n

Some surface thatch is common on every lawn and doesn’t cause a great deal of issues. However, excessive thatch, will restrict the healthy growth of grass and encourage the spread of moss. It is that scenario that makes lawns look terrible.<\/p>\n

By scarifying your lawn once a year, you remove most of the thatch, and that allows your grass growth to grow be healthy fresh and green.<\/p>\n

When Should You Scarifiy?<\/h2>\n

The weather in the UK limits the time opportunity for scarifying a lawn. Ideally you should scarify your lawn once a year. The best time to scarify your lawn is Spring time in the UK and April is the most popular month.<\/p>\n

If you miss the Spring opportunity, you have another chance in the Autumn and mid to late September is the perfect month to scarify a lawn. That is because the soil is still warm enough and there is still moisture in the air.<\/p>\n

If you are doing this in the Autumn it is usually better to not scarify as aggressively as you would in the Spring. That is because growth and recovery will be slower as the soil starts to cool down.<\/p>\n

What Types of Lawn Scarifiers are there?<\/h2>\n

The good news is there are several lawn scarifiers around and most of them are an affordable option. Some manufacturers refer to these as lawn rakers. You can also buy a machine that is a scarifier and an aerator.<\/p>\n

We will explain the options just below so as you have a full understanding of what is available:<\/p>\n

Moss Removal Rake<\/h3>\n

\"rake<\/span><\/p>\n

These are not the same as a normal garden rake or soil rake. They have a special type of head that pivots and the head also has larger tines than a normal rake.<\/p>\n

This type of rake works really well and they cost around \u00a330. You can use a normal garden leaf rake as long as it is reinforced, but the moss rake just works much better.Just be prepared for a lot of physical effort and a lot of patience. We would only recommend using one of these on small lawns, and even then it will take a long time and a good deal of physical effort.<\/p>\n

Typically these come from brands like Gardena and Wolf-Garten. You buy a telescopic pole and then you can buy different heads such as a rake, brush etc. The moss rake is an attachment that you put on the end of the pole.<\/p>\n

How to scarify a lawn with a moss rake?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a simple push and pull action along the grass. It takes just a little bit of practise to get the right technique and you will see the thatch start to life and come to the surface. It works but it is slow. For smaller lawns this works but we wouldn’t recommend this for larger lawns. We did a front garden which is about 16 square metres and it took 6 hours to complete. There was a lot of thatch though so the time taken depends on the size of the lawn, how bad the thatch is and your own physical efforts.<\/p>\n

Manual Scarifiers<\/h3>\n

\"push<\/span><\/p>\n

Manual push and pull type scarifiers cost around \u00a340-60 and can really help speed up the process. They are a good choice for small and medium sized lawns and turf.<\/p>\n

They still require some physical effort on your part, but it is a great deal easier than using a moss rake. They are basically a cylinder with blades and when you push it, the blades dig into the thatch and lift it out. Most of them have an adjustable handle to suit your height and also to alter the height of the blades.<\/p>\n

How to scarify a lawn with a manual scarifier?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This does make life a little easier as the wheels and blades do most of the work and you simply pull and push. You can work up a good rhythm and build up a nice sweat using one of these, but they work well. A good choice for small to medium sized gardens. You will need to do 2-3 passes so still takes time, but does give good results at the end.<\/p>\n

The key is getting the cutting depth right so as you are lifting thatch and not going to deep that damages the grass roots too much. <\/p>\n

Scarifier Machines<\/h3>\n

\"electric<\/span><\/p>\n

You can buy a machine that is either powered by electric or an engine or a cordless scarifier. Electric scarifiers cost around \u00a390, petrol scarifiers cost around \u00a3350-\u00a3500 and cordless scarifiers cost around \u00a3150-200.Most home owners will use an electric or a cordless option. Petrol scarifiers are heavy duty and mainly used by landscapers. Whichever style you use it does all the work and they are easy to use. You can also rent these out which might be a better option for some people.<\/p>\n

How to scarify a lawn with a scarifier machine?<\/strong><\/p>\n

These do the work for the most part. Once you figure out the right setting then with 2-3 passes, which you can do in a couple of hours for most gardens, the thatch will be lifted. Once you gather that up, the job will be done and ready for aeration if you plan on doing that.<\/p>\n

Scarifier\/Aerator Machines<\/h3>\n

\"aerator<\/span><\/p>\n

You can buy a machine that is either powered by electric or an engine or cordless. As well as being a scarifier, it can also be used as an aerator. Quite often these two terms get mixed up and some people think they are the same thing. They are different lawn care processes.<\/p>\n

Scarification<\/strong> – This is the removal of thatch from lawns or turf to prevent the build up of moisture, prevent moss from growing and to allow the growth of healthy grass. It is deep raking of the grass.<\/p>\n

Aeration <\/strong>– this is making a series of holes in the garden to allow air and moisture into the top soil to promote the growth of healthy grass. Usually this is done using coring or hollow tines.<\/p>\n

The combined scarifier\/aerator costs around \u00a3120-250.<\/p>\n

These will have a set of scarifying blades and a set of aerator tines which you change depending on what you are doing.Most home owners will use an electric option. Petrol machines are heavy duty and mainly used by landscapers. Whichever style you use it does all the work and they are easy to use. You can also rent these out which might be a better option for some people.<\/p>\n

How long does it take to scarify a lawn?<\/h2>\n

The length of time it takes to scarify a lawn depends on a few things:<\/p>\n