How Should You Scarify Your Lawn?

When you have a lawn, you want it to look its best at all times. Everyone wants a full lawn without too many brown spots. To achieve this, you must maintain it well and sometimes scarify it to give the blades of grass more space. Plants need iron sulphate to convert water into sugar and oxygen, so grass blades need enough space to grow. But what exactly is verticutting and how is it done?

What is scarifying?

Scarifying is a combination of ‘vertical’ and ‘cut’, i.e. making a vertical cut in the grass. This is how you remove the layer of felt in the lawn. You can scarify your lawn using a scarifier or manually using a rake. The scarifier or rake contains a number of blades arranged in a row that cut through the top layer of the lawn. In this way you make vertical cuts in your lawn and scarify your lawn. Below you can read which eight steps you must follow to scarify your lawn?

Step 1

Begin by mowing your lawn. This will give you better access to the felt layer of the lawn during the scarification process. If the grass is a little damp, these are ideal conditions for scarifying. If it has been dry for some time, start by spraying.

Step 2

Remove the grass clippings and all branches from your lawn.

Step 3

Adjust the scarifier. Adjust it according to the thickness of the thatch layer. If the thatch layer is thick, choose the deepest setting on the machine and work more superficially if the thatch layer is thin.

Step 4

Draw straight lines across your lawn with the scarifier. Then remove the moss residue with a broad rake of the lawn.

Step 5

Now repeat the perpendicular lines across the lawn. Again, moss residue will remain on the lawn. You will notice that there is already less waste coming off the second time. Remove the moss waste from the lawn with your lawn rake.

Step 6

It is now time to sow and fertilize the bare spots in the lawn. This allows the grass to recover more quickly. Because of the open structure, the nutrients are now better absorbed.

Step 7

In the following days, spray your lawn regularly in dry weather. Then the grass seeds can germinate better. 

Step 8

Wait patiently and see how your lawn recovers and becomes stronger. Do you need more information about this subject? Feel free to contact a specialist so you know for sure you will make the right decision.