No matter how much you love your yard, it can get a little out of hand. Grass grows in places where it doesn’t belong and dead patches appear that need to be filled in with new grass. Here are some tips on the right way to scarify and fertilize your lawn so everything is looking fresh!
Why do I need to scarify my lawn?
Before we get down to business, it’s good to know exactly what dethatching is. In any lawn, a layer of lawn thatch forms from old manure residue. Moss can begin to grow on top of it. However, grass needs a lot of air, light, and water to grow. However, the lawn felt absorbs all of this itself, causing the healthy grass blades underneath to die. This is how brown patches appear on the lawn. To prevent this, you need to scarify the lawn. With this, you remove the lawn felt and cut the moss roots. After that, you can remove the loosened felt layer with a rake.
When should I scarify and fertilize the lawn?
The best time to scarify is shortly after it has rained. Has it been dry for a long time? Then you should spray your lawn thoroughly first. The best months for maintenance are April and May. Does your lawn get enough sun all year round or does it grow on sandy soil? Then one time is enough. However, is it in the shade or on clay or bog soil? Then the chance of a matted lawn with a lot of moss is the greatest. In this case, you should dethatch and fertilize the lawn a second time in October. This is the best way for it to survive the winter.
Scarifying: the right way to do it!
You can scarify your lawn in two ways:
- By hand: This method is only suitable for very small lawns. You crawl over the lawn on your hands and knees and remove the felt layer with a knife. You can also use dethatching lawn rakes so that you don’t have to bend down. But this procedure remains very labor-intensive.
- With a dethatching machine: When using a dethatching machine, you don’t have to exert yourself. The machine does all the work and removes the felt layer and the moss. The only thing you need to do is set the depth of cut correctly and run the scarifier over the lawn.
It is best to run the machine in two directions: first lengthwise and then widthwise. This is the best way to remove the felt and moss layer. Of course, it also works the other way around. Make it easy on yourself and always follow a straight line. This way you are sure not to miss a spot. After that, you can remove the loosened moss with a rake. Always proceed in two directions so that no residue remains on the lawn.
Treat the lawn after dethatching
After you have scarified the lawn, it is often left desolate and with bare patches. This problem can be easily solved by reseeding the bare spots or replacing them with new sod. To ensure that the growth receives sufficient nutrients, you should fertilize it lightly after scarifying. Make sure that you distribute the lawn fertilizer evenly. Check if the lawn gets enough sun. Is this the case, but is there still a lot of moss? Then you should measure the acidity of the soil. Is the soil too acidic? The problem can be easily solved with lime and iron sulfate.
