Scarifying keeps the lawn healthy

Scarifying forms a part of optimum lawncare. Only in this way can you deal with the lawn felt which is produced over time in every lawn and which blocks the supply of air, water and nutrients to the roots.

Cut product remnants and dead plant material form the so-called lawn felt which can grow in depths up to several centimetres. The results are: Air, water and nutrients can no longer force their way through to the lawn roots. The lawn will suffer! Moss and dreaded lawn diseases such as red thread, fairy rings, snow mould etc. can spread and pressurise the weakened lawn plants. At the same time the lawn can become very susceptible to drought. Because of the lack of water and nutrients in the soil the deeper reaching lawn roots will atrophy and the root system flattens out, the lawn loses its facility for drawing water from the deeper layers of soil and for surviving the summer heatwaves. A motorised scarifier can remove the lawn felt easily. It is very important to apply fertiliser after scarifying using, for example, the WOLF-Garten long-term lawn fertiliser "Super". This long-term fertiliser, tried and tested on golf courses and playing fields all over the world, quickly helps the lawn to recover.

It is best to scarify at least once a year. In March and April you will then give your lawn a good start to the vegetation period and it will get to be green and dense again more quickly. In June and July additional flat-growing summer weeds such as Veronica can be removed by additional scarifying. After September you should not scarify any more since the lawn seam can then no longer recover.

The most important rule when scarifying is: The blades should only touch the ground lightly and not slit it open. Too deep penetration of the blades into the ground will damage the lawn and the scarifier; it destroys the lawn roots and causes wear to the blades and the motor.  

The best scarifying effect is produced on a slightly dry ground surface using a fixed blade system. The scarifier should be run in rows one after the other over the entire lawn area, just in oner direction - you will be amaxed how much lawn felt and moss is removed! Since this material must not remain on the surface of the lawn it is best to use a collection basket. Do not be irritated by the fact that your lawn looks battered just after scarifying: The removal of lawn felt and the subsequent fertilising strengthen its regeneration facilities so greatly that the weakened lawn plants recover quickly and the small gaps soon close up. Larger bald areas, which, by the way, can be prevented by regular scarifying are best repaired using WOLF-Garten »Turbo« top-up seed.

More information can be found in our current brochure "The new Gardening year".

"The new garden year" provides all our know-how from lawn and garden care and is an indispensible aid and source of advice all through the year in the garden. You can view it here or order a copy free of charge.