Scarifying or de-thatching

Image shows metal blades scarifying into the soil

Lawn scarifiers use steel blades to cut out thatch; hence it is also known as de-thatching..

Lawn thatch by its very nature is removed more easily by this cutting action and the result is a firmer lawn that allows the passage of air, nutrients and water easily into it. Take scarifying a step further by letting the scarifier blades cut into the soil and you will open the soil surface and make an ideal seed bed for introducing new grass seed to your lawn.

The blades also ‘prune’ the grass plants because it cuts them downwards rather than cross cutting as in mowing. This pruning, just like pruning a bush or plant causes extra shoots to grow thus thickening the turf.

The ‘chopping’ action is also a good way of controlling some of the coarser or delicate weed grasses such as Yorkshire Fog and Annual Meadow Grass. It can also help control creeping weeds such as speedwell and trefoils (yellow suckling clover).

Raking or de-mossing the lawn

Image shows wire tines above the soil level at all times

Whereas scarifiers use blade tines, rakes use wire tines just like on a fan or spring-bok lawn rake.

Wires are best for raking because moss is not rooted and comes away quite easily. This means pulling or ripping the moss out rather than cutting it out is best. Wires are also best for giving the lawn a light raking after a drought to clear dead brown grass that has accumulated.

The thin wires that are quite flexible which means if they hit anything hard they just flick out of the way. These wires are excellent for moss removal without too much lawn damage..

Thatch 

Identification   

When you walk on your turf, is it spongy, soft and feel like a plush carpet? 

If you look at the sides of your turf, do you see a thick layer of brown, spongy material? 

General description   

Thatch is a natural part of the living turf and generally desirable. Thatch is a layer of dead turf material. Contrary to popular belief, it is not formed from the grass leaves that fall into the turf after mowing. Thatch forms for several reasons, but the most important is improper fertilisation. When grass is growing properly, it forms new roots, stems and leaves as the old ones die. As long as new grass is formed at about the same rate as the old dies, there will be no thatch accumulation, but when the grass grows faster than the old material can be destroyed, thatch accumulates.   

Thatch is destroyed by naturally occurring fungi. By applying too much fertiliser to your turf, you can cause it to grow too fast for the natural soil fungi to destroy it, and thus thatch accumulates. It is okay for turf to have no thatch if you like firm turf, but your turf will suffer if the thatch layer grows too thick.  

Moss   

Identification   

Is your lawn thin?  

Is your lawn 'marshy'? 

Do you see short green fuzzy plants in your lawn?  

 If you answer yes to the above questions, you have moss growing in your lawn.  

General description   

Moss - is a collection of primitive plants which are green in colour. Generally they are form a short, fuzzy mat in lawns which are thin and sparse. They require damp conditions. Lawns which are thin and wet will allow moss to develop. The same moss that grows on your roofs, walls and fences also grow in thin or poor quality lawns. They have almost no root system, and will often break loose if stepped on