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Lawn scarifying

Joy SkiddyJoy Skiddy Posts: 2
in Problem solving
My lawns are in a dreadful state as are a lot of people’s, will it harm them to scarify at the moment?. We have had some rain and I don’t intend to feed them just yet but thought it may help to get some of the dead grass up.
🌼 Thanks.

Posts

  • Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,145
    edited August 2018
    Personally I wouldn't scarify it at the moment as it won't recover well in these 'drought' conditions. Much better to leave it till the early autumn or next spring. If it's not too big of an area I would go over it lightly with a spring-tine rake or electric rake (not scarifier) which will lift the grass up letting the air and water get to the roots and clear up some of the thatch but won't leave it bare like the scarifier will.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,142
    I've had a 10Kg tub of bonemeal I keep tripping over in the shed for years.
    I decided to spread it on the lawn as an autumn feed last Sept.
    It really worked well - I've not seen my grass looking so healthy the following spring for years.
    Being organic it breaks down slowly and promotes root growth during autumn through to spring.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • SonnieBSonnieB Posts: 119
    Hi @Pete8, did you do anything to the lawn first or did you just chuck the bone meal on
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,142
    Hi @SonnieB
    No I didn't do anything first. It was so dry last autumn I couldn't scarify and haven't been able to this year either - yet (I may do mid/late Sept weather permitting). Parts of my lawn feel like walking on a matress there's so much thatch - and dead patches (see my avatar!).
    I was so fed up tripping over this big tub in the middle of the shed floor I decided it had to go!
    Knowing it promotes root growth over several months I used my lawn spreader which I think was set to around 30-40g/sq metre which got rid of most of it.
    You can't really overdose your lawn with it, so you can just chuck it on (as evenly as poss though) and ideally before some rain.
    If you decide to just throw some over your lawn, just be aware you don't really want to be breathing the stuff in

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • SonnieBSonnieB Posts: 119
    @Pete8 I'm going to give this a go in Sept.  Lawn is a mess at the moment   Thanks 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,142
    Go for it ;) Your lawn will benefit
    Just be careful not to breathe in the dust
    I'll get some more from amazon soon 7kg for £10

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • glasgowdanglasgowdan Posts: 632
    To the OP, if you're getting cooler, wet weather as we are in central Scotland then go for a scarify. It's easy ti leave a scarify too late for new seed to take well. 
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