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When to scarify...
Desthemoaner
Posts: 191
Hi All
We currently have our grass treated every 3 months by a lawncare company, and on the last visit the operative told me that significant areas of the garden are in dire need of a good scarify.
We have a pretty extensive area of lawn, so scarifying selected parts by using a hand rake, which is what I've done for the last couple of years, is no longer an option. With this in mind I'll be taking delivery of an electric scarifier by the end of next week.
Our lawncare representative advised that the work should be done in late autumn and/or early Spring. However, with our lawn being in a bit of a state and unlikely to get better until it IS scarified, is there any reason why I can't tackle the job a little sooner?
Thanks in advance.
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I'm questioning why it's getting into that state if it's getting regular treatments. My mum has the Green brigade in and there isn't a hint of moss in her lawn. It's picturebook perfect. Do you have a mulching mower? Is it a build up of thatch because of that maybe? All just nosey questions for my own thirst for knowledge!
If it was my lawn I'd do it now. (But wait till someone who knows comes along). The growing will be slowing down soon anyway so there are no new shoots to damage. It might even recover slightly before Winter to look less of a fright.
Our lawn got sadly neglected this year due to dealing with parental demise and other stuff, and now the dry spell has turned it a lovely shade of brown fluffiness due to thatch and moss.
I'm going to investigate hiring an electric scarifier from Homebase within the next fortnight, and I'll then overseed with a good lawn mix.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Sorry to hi-jack but I saw you mention that on another thread Dove and then couldn't find it. Are all the Homebases doing it? I couldn't find any mention of it on their website.
Hi Pp - I've not actually booked it yet, but if you go on their website and go into Tool Hire, there's a section for Garden Equipment - apparently you have to register on their website and then you can choose to pick the equipment up from one of their stores in your area, or you can have it delivered.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Brilliant. Cheers Dove. Found it.
We have attachments for the lawn mower to do ours. I think it's a bit of a fiddle to put them on though. Not really sure because that's OH's job
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Thanks all for your responses.
PP, you raise a good point which has occurred to me also; being "why is my lawn in a mess if I have a lawn company to care for it?" I don't know, but to be fair they have offered their own scarifying services on a couple of occasions and I've turned them down due to the cost; that cost being much greater per annum than that of simply buying my own scarifier.
I think that poor drainage due to a clay subsoil is the cause of the chronic problem with moss. Presumably the inundation has become so widespread that regular lawn treatments combined with selective hand scarifying have just not been enough to keep the stuff at bay. It seems that heavy duty scarification across the entire lawn is now the only solution left.
I eventually found an electric scarifier for 48 quid on Screwfix, and bought it after reading what were mostly excellent reviews. So prepare, dear Forum, for a lot of whingeing from me about the even worse state that my lawn is in AFTER scarifying. ;0)
Last edited: 28 August 2016 12:11:41
Interesting... at £48 quid I might put that on my pre C*******s list. Or even birthday list. If it's a wee light thing you could do it little and often so's not to kill it. Let us know how you get on.
Incidently, I didn't know my mum was having lawn treatments until I commented on how fab it looked and she told me. It really is that good.