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How to scarify a lawn
Knowing how to scarify a lawn will help tidy up and clear away any thatch or moss that has formed around the base of your grass. If left to do its own thing, thatch stops water and oxygen from getting to the roots below, damaging your lawn’s health while creating the perfect environment for more moss and mould to grow. Let’s explore how and when to scarify to encourage better growth and keep your grass looking great all year round.
How to scarify your lawn
Scarifying refers to using an automated scarifier or a spring tine rake to remove dead grass, leaves, and moss from your lawn surface. It’s not a complicated task, but it is a beneficial one that involves breaking up the surface of the soil to help your grass breathe and improve its growth. Scarifying is also essential before overseeding any patchy or thinning areas of your lawn. We recommend you scarify your lawn at least once a year, and it is best done between spring and autumn.
Different ways to scarify your lawn
Method 1: Using an automated scarifier
An automated scarifier will speed up this process and save you a lot of effort if you have a larger area! You can hire or buy one if you have a large area to cover. This method will remove a lot more material and be useful if you want to overseed it afterwards. This may result in seeing soil patches where the moss has been removed - but that is what you need to overseed, so don’t panic!
Method 2: Use a spring tine rake to scarify
This is the simplest way, although it involves a lot of physical effort to do the whole area if you have a large lawn. Aiming to rake in one direction and then at a slightly different angle to get more material is the best and most efficient way to do this. Remember that your grass will need help to recover from this. So, overseeding with some fresh grass seed might be required for patchy areas and feeding it with lawn food is a good idea, too!
Use a spring tine rake, not an ordinary rake, as this will rip lumps out of your grass rather than the moss/thatch.
How long should grass be before scarifying?
Although there is no required height to cut your lawn to before scarifying, we recommend cutting it down to a manageable height because it will make the process much easier if there’s less grass to rake through. Also, remember that if you’re overseeding, you won’t be able to mow for the first 6-8 weeks until the new grass is established, so mowing your lawn down to between 20-40mm in height before scarifying is ideal for the best results.
When should you scarify a lawn in the UK?
You can scarify up to twice yearly between March and September if the weather is on your side. However, the best time to scarify a lawn in the UK is between April and May; at this time of the year, your ground will be warm enough to help your lawn recover. Avoid scarifying your lawn during winter or deep into the summer months because this is when frost or drought is more likely, and it will take your grass longer to recover.
Can I scarify wet grass?
Ideally no. While it’s important to keep your lawn well watered to help the growth of your grass, you should aim to scarify it when it isn’t soaking wet, as you could end up pulling up more than just the thatch. This is because scarifying when your lawn is wet means the grass will be loose at the roots, and you will likely remove areas of healthy grass instead of only the dead grass.
Will knowing how to scarify a lawn help with thatch?
Scarifying can help, but even the best-kept lawns will suffer from thatch build-up. Some lawns will experience it more frequently, and this is where it becomes an issue! Compacted or heavy soil that doesn’t drain well lets water sit and allows moss to thrive. Shady and damp areas under trees can also be a consistent moss problem. You can help alleviate dampness and poor drainage through aeration, but if you have clay soils, our guide on how to get the very best out of clay soils will help.
What to do after scarifying your lawn?
After you have finished raking your lawn, you will most likely be shocked at how your lawn has ended up looking worse than when you began – and maybe wonder, “Why did I scarify?!” But do not worry; this is all very normal.
Mowing your lawn before scarifying helps
If you scarify correctly, you should be left with some bare and thin patches, but these are fixed easily by overseeding your lawn after scarifying. For this reason, we recommend always mowing your lawn before scarifying, as you will not be able to do it after, and you will need to give your newly planted seedlings a chance to grow undisturbed for a number of weeks after sowing.
Now you have some helpful tips on how to scarify a lawn, we have included some links below for further reading so you can get more out of your lawn:
