Mistakes in scarifying destroy the lawn

Spring care for the lawn? That means above all: scarifying, watering, sanding. In this article you will find out what you should pay attention to.

If you want a beautiful green lawn, you should scarify it from time to time. As a result, the grass grows better and denser. Spring is the best season for this. You can find out what you should pay attention to here and in our video instructions.

The word scarifying is originally composed of the English words “vertical” and “to cut”. In horticulture, it means scratching the turf of a lawn. This makes sense because a kind of thatch will form on the lawn over time. This consists mainly of leftover clippings and moss. The thatch prevents enough nutrients and water from reaching the grass roots. The scarifier removes this covering.

It is best to do the following test in advance with a metal rake or cultivator: pull the garden tool loosely over the lawn with the metal tips pointing downwards. If moss, weeds and grass clippings get caught in the tines, you should scarify the lawn.

Otherwise, you can generally scarify your lawn from late spring (April) to early autumn (September). For many hobby gardeners, spring is still the ideal time because the lawn is particularly capable of regeneration during this time frame.

At the same time, it is important not to start scarifying too early in the spring. After the hibernation, the grasses are weakened. They first need a boost with fertilizer and the right growing temperature before the procedure begins. You can use the daffodil blossom as a guide.

Basically, all scarifiers work according to the same principle: Small, sharp knives on the underside of the device bore into the ground and scratch it. There are differences in the design: the trade offers electric, petrol and hand scarifier an.

The latter are only suitable for small areas. They are very difficult to use. For slightly larger lawns, you can use an electric device. Anyone who can call their own a very large lawn is better served with the petrol scarifier.

Good devices do not have to be expensive. This is the result of the Stiftung Warentest. In the test, a cheap scarifier performed almost as well as the most expensive model.

• The lawn must be dry.
• The scarifier must not cut too deep. The knives may only scratch two to three millimeters into the earth. If you cut deeper, the roots of the grass will be injured.
• The scarifier must be guided quickly over the lawn so that no holes are created.
• The scarifier blades must be ground or sharpened. Otherwise, unclean cuts can damage the lawn plants and prevent them from growing back healthily.
• Proceed in an orderly manner. That means: Drive the scarifier first in transverse paths and then in longitudinal paths across the lawn. Similar to a lawn mower.
• Avoid curves. If you can’t avoid it, you should raise the blades slightly before cornering. Otherwise they tear too deep wounds in the lawn soil. The best way to do this is to press the handlebar down.

After scarifying, you can also aerate the lawn, i.e. aerate it. Small holes are drilled in the ground and filled with sand. Ideally, you should use quartz sand or very fine construction sand. The fine material ensures better ventilation in the lawn. This work step is mainly carried out in the professional field by landscape gardeners, you do not necessarily have to aerate the small private lawn in this way. In general, it is good to sand the lawn after scarifying. You should use between about 1 and 2 kg of quartz sand/square meter for this. With a spreader you can distribute the material evenly. In this article, we explain the reasons why lawn sanding is good for the grass.

There are different types of aerators: some have a type of roller with thorns that dig into the turf, others are pressed into the ground like a fork. Even spikes are offered, which are strapped under the shoes.