If you are reading this blog post, you may be asking yourself some or all of the following questions:
WHY should I scarify my lawn?
Lawns benefit from regular scarifying in order to remove and control the build up of moss and 'thatch'. 'Thatch' is the build up of dead grass, partly rotted leaves and debris that builds up in a lawn over time.
Both moss and thatch restrict grass growth by competing with it for light and water, leading to your lawn rapidly becoming thin, patchy and dying off quickly in times of drought.
Removing all of this debris encourages fresh, more resilient grass growth.
WHEN should I scarify my lawn?
Lawns can be scarified in the spring or autumn. HOWEVER, the grass must be strongly growing at the time the operation is carried out, otherwise recovery will be slow. The application of a seasonally appropriate lawn fertiliser will help the grass recover more rapidly.
The grass or ground should defiantly not be frozen or covered in snow at the time scarifying is carried out!
How should I scarify my lawn properly?
The most important point is that any moss MUST be killed off using an appropriate moss killer such as lawn sand or sulphate of iron before even thinking about getting the scarifying machine out of the shed. Failing to kill the moss properly will just result in the moss being chopped up and spread about the lawn - often leaving you with more moss than you had before!
Products vary but we always apply lawn sand both length and cross ways across the lawn using carefully calibrated spreaders to ensure an even spread and avoiding leaving marks or lines from imprecise application.
Proper scarification involves allowing the moss killer to work for an appropriate interval (often 14 days) and not cutting the lawn in this time. Before scarifying, cut the lawn fairly short - this makes it easier for the machine to work.
Set the scarifier blades so that they are touching the turf but NOT the ground.
Scarify the lawn one way, clearing the debris if there is a lot, then make another pass at 90 degrees to the first, with the blades slightly lower but still NOT touching the ground.
Remember the machine won't get right to the edges, so use a spring tine rake to get to these.
By this point, you are likely to have a LOT of moss and debris on the surface of your lawn. This needs clearing and disposing of - but do not put it on your compost heap - dispose of it at your local civic amenity site.
Then mow your lawn again with a rotary mower, this will help to lift the grass and any remaining debris.
Some 'lawn care companies' unfortunately don't scarify right to the edges, re mow the grass after scarifying OR dispose of the moss and debris, leaving this to do this yourself....
Doesn't all this sound like an awful lot of hard work?
Why not call in a professional?
If you live within a 7 mile radius of the Spalding, Lincolnshire area, ANP Services Spalding can attend your property, apply an appropriate moss killer, thoroughly scarify your lawn AND dispose of all the debris - all at a preagreed price. Following on from this, we also recommend application of an appropriate fertiliser to ensure a fast recovery for your lawn.
For your peace of mind, we are FULLY insured and licensed waste carriers, we also provide free, no obligation quotations and in most instances can offer a fixed price for any lawn scarifying works...
For full details on what we can do for you:
See our website
email us at
anpservicesspalding@yahoo.co.uk
or phone us today
07745 247488 or 01775 830250
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