You need to scarify to make sure thatch doesn’t accumulate and suffocate the lawn. You also need to aerate the soil under the lawn occasionally, or your lawn could be choked off from nutrients and wither.
Can you scarify and aerate at the same time?
When considering both aerating and scarifying, it’s better to scarify first, then aerate– but leave a few days in between the two exercises to allow your lawn to recover before you put it through all that work again.
Should I Dethatch before or after aerating?
Excess thatch blocks out air, light and water from reaching root zones. Dethatching and aeration services go hand in hand. Dethatch first, then aerate.
Is scarifying better than aerating?
Rakes do what their name suggests, while aerators perforate the lawn surface to let air in. Scarifiers, however, remove the harmful lawn thatch that can literally suffocate your lawn.
Do I need to aerate if I scarify? – Related Questions
What to do after scarifying and aerating?
If you have scarified your lawn in the spring, then a spring time fertiliser is probably best to help encourage rapid grass growth. When doing this, ensure that the lawn has plenty of water. Also continue to water your lawn regularly for the next few weeks if it has not been raining.
When should you not scarify your lawn?
Lawns should typically be scarified once a year, with the best times either in spring or in autumn. You should seek to scarify at times when your grass is growing strongly, as scarifying in periods like winter or the height of summer can cause issues due to either excess cold or dry heat.
How often should you scarify your lawn?
You should scarify your established lawn once a year, but some lawn owners prefer to do the job once every two or three years. However, as with all things in lawn care, little and often works best.
Is scarifying good for a lawn?
The scarification process removes organic matter, such as thatch or moss, from around the base of the grass plants and tidies up any straggly lateral growth, that will otherwise prevent good dense grass growth. If you do not scarify, debris will build up and lead to other problems.
How do I know if my lawn needs scarifying?
How can I tell if my lawn needs scarifying? Too much thatch in a lawn will give your grass a spongy feel when you walk on it. You should be able to see a layer 0.5-1cm thick when you look at the sides of your turf – anymore than this is excessive and unhealthy for your lawn.
What are the benefits of scarifying your lawn?
Benefits of scarifying your lawn
- Removes the organic matter from the surface of the lawn, helping it breathe.
- Refreshes a lawn, helping it to absorb water and nutrient much more easily.
- Reduces moss levels in a lawn.
- Stops it becoming ‘spongy’
- It is one of the most beneficial treatments that your lawn can receive.
Should I seed straight after scarifying?
However, if you’ve done a thorough de-mossing or de-thatching then it’s risky to expect a full and uniform recovery so get some grass seed into the whole lawn. If you’re going to be using iron sulphate or an iron fertiliser AND over seeding put the seed in at least a couple of days afterwards.
Can you aerate a lawn after scarifying?
Aerate, Either By Spiking or Hollow Tining
If your lawn is in good nick and you’ve scarified as part of your lawn calendar, then spike with a garden fork, aerator sandals or rolling aerator. This will improve airflow and the penetration of water and nutrients into the soil and encourage deeper rooting.
Should I overseed after scarifying?
After you’ve got rid of the moss from the lawn with your rake or scarifier it is important to sow seed all over to speed recovery and thicken the grass.
How long should I wait to overseed After aerating?
Within 48 hours after you aerate you should over seed, fertilize, and water your lawn. The seed, fertilizer, and water will have the best chance to get down into the holes made by the aerator if applied soon after aeration.
Will scarifying get rid of weeds?
Regular scarifying can keep down annual weeds too as well as helping to reduce the perennial ones. Weeding your lawn is something you can do either with a weed killing chemical which you put on the lawn, or manually. If you’ve only got a few weeds then it’s not a huge chore to manually remove them.
Should I cut grass short before scarifying?
For the best results, mow the lawn before scarifying. You should also feed your lawn before scarifying.
Can scarifying ruin your lawn?
If you scarify at the wrong time of year when your grass isn’t growing as fast, you risk damaging your lawn severely. Dusting off the scarifier too early can ruin your lawn, so be patient and don’t jump the gun – that lawn isn’t going anywhere.
Can you scarify straight after mowing?
It is recommended that you scarify whеn thе ѕоіl is moderately wet but with a touch-dry surface. Fоr the best results it is best to mow the lawn before scarifying.
How deep should I scarify my lawn?
The right depth for scarifying depends on the nature of the soil and the degree of matting of your lawn, which should be between 3 and 20 mm. Then move the device lengthways and then across the surface, creating a fine checkerboard pattern.
Should I fertilize after scarifying?
Fertilising After Scarification
Fertiliser will encourage the healthy and consistent growth of your lawn, giving it a dose of nutrients. Depending on whether you are scarifying in the spring or the autumn you will need to use a different lawn feed (either spring/summer or autumn/winter).