When to scarify the lawn: 3 important rules

When scarifying, the turf of the lawn is slightly scratched to remove old clippings and/or moss. So you aerate the soil better, which in turn has a positive effect on the growth of the lawn.

time

The ideal time for scarifying is in spring, because the lawn regenerates particularly well at this time of year. However, you should not reach for the scarifier too early, as the lawn plants are still weakened by the winter in early spring. According to the calendar, the months of April and May are the best time for scarifying. Depending on the location and the weather, the time can also be pushed back if, for example, the winter weather lasts longer. Likewise, March can be the ideal month when it is already very warm. In any case, the lawn should be treated with the scarifier before treatment

  • have received nitrogenous fertilization and
  • have been mowed at least twice.

If there was no time for this form of lawn care in spring , you can also work on the lawn with the scarifier in summer or autumn.

weather

With regard to the weather, the lawn area should always be scarified when it is dry. However, this lawn care should not be done on a hot day as the grass plants are weakened by the heat. If it is not possible to postpone the scarifying cycle, then on hot days you should water the lawn before treating it and wait until the lawn has absorbed the water or the lawn plants have dried.

Note: Do not scarify on frozen ground.

Once or twice a year

Opinions differ on whether the lawn should be scarified once or twice a year. If you decide to scarify twice a year, these will be carried out in spring and autumn. These are April and September, weather permitting. In any case, however, there should be a few months between the two treatments. You should also take into account that the lawn needs to recover before winter comes. Therefore, fertilizer is applied in autumn after scarifying.

frequently asked Questions

In principle, you can use the scarifier from April to September. An argument against the hot season is that the lawn is already weakened by the heat and/or is heavily used in summer. Therefore, you should not subject the lawn plants to any additional stress.

When scarifying in spring, the following steps are recommended: spring fertilization, 1st mowing, 2nd mowing about two weeks after fertilizing, scarifying.

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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