Does scarifying aerate lawn?
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.
Aerators are available with core/plug tines or spikes, and punch holes in the soil to aid in air flow. Scarifiers remove moss and thatch from the lawn's surface and make it easy to remove with a lawn sweeper. Often the best lawns will require both aerators and scarifiers to maintain their lush green appearance.
Aeration helps loosen the soil and helps decompose the excessive thatch layer at a faster rate. Both services accomplish a similar goal, but lawn aeration does so without the possibility of damaging your lawn in the way that dethatching would.
A lawn scarifier, sometimes referred to as a 'dethatcher', is a garden tool that is designed to cut through the soil, helping to remove dead moss and other debris like grass cuttings.
Both options are important to maintaining a healthy lawn and the good news is that machine tools are available that do both! At John Miller, our lawn scarifiers are also lawn aerators, which means that you can remove unwanted growth AND improve soil health with the same tool!
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.
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.
It's patchy, uneven in colour and quite dull. On the right, you can see the lawn after it's been scarified. The lawn is much healtier and the colour is brighter and more even! It's true that your scarified lawn might look terrible for a period, but once it's recovered you'll be grateful that you got it done.
So that your lawn enters the winter phase well cared for, you can scarify or aerate it again. By scarifying, you remove unwanted moss which has grown in summer. If moss and lawn thatch are removed, the lower parts of the grass receive more air and light again.
It is best to dethatch first before aerating your lawn.
Aerating is best done when there's the problem of compaction. Both dethatching and aerating your lawn will improve air, nutrient, and water penetration into the root zone of your grass. Thatch is the main problem these two processes address.
What time of year should you dethatch your lawn?
For northern grass the best time to dethatch your entire lawn is in late summer to early fall when the grass is actively growing. For southern grasses, dethatch in late spring. In early spring, and for small areas, use a thatching rake, which is a sharp-tined rake that rips the thatch out of the lawn.
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.
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.
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.
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.
- Kill off the moss. ...
- Scarify the area. ...
- Remove weeds (by hand if possible) ...
- Aerate the soil. ...
- Sow grass seed (and pres seed fertiliser) at a reduced overseeding rate (after scarifying & after aerating) ...
- Apply a top dressing after seeding (optional) ...
- Keep watering for 2 weeks.
A dethatcher will effectively rake up the dead plant thatch, while a scarifier will do that and also roll into your soil and more aggressively rip up the top layer of thatch and soil.
Dethatching is mostly used to remove thatch from your lawn while scarifying includes thatch removal as well as removing deeper debris. For quick lawn care, dethatch your lawn. For intense and longer-lasting lawn care, scarify your lawn.
When growth and weather conditions allow, your lawn should be scarified to remove thatch and the matted and horizontal growth that has accumulated over time. This activity should engage the soil; grass is resilient and will soon grow back with a flourish.
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.
