What scarifier to get?

cathy427

Hi there, I have lot of moss in the lawn and wondering what scarifier to get.

Front is roughly 30 yards x 30 yards with no obstacles. Back is roughly 38 yards x 46 yards with a number of obstacles (trees, flowers beds, gravel path)

Do I go for a push like this - https://www.screwfix.ie/p/wr6002-1500-32cm-1500w-raker-scarifier-230-240v/296FG?gclid=Cj0KCQjw8qmhBhClARIsANAtboc3FOAq2M0KODclhm8uMaIHVGj_0EPQfaqdH4X7QUzmoyh1hpHU82YaAiuLEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

A tow behind the ride on like this and do the best I can with the obstacles- https://www.ebay.ie/itm/373926553352?var=0&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=5282-166454-587998-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=v1%7C373926553352%7C0&targetid=1904084615745&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=20480&poi=&campaignid=19108016103&mkgroupid=144873854620&rlsatarget=pla-1904084615745&abcId=&merchantid=697534659&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8qmhBhClARIsANAtboebe-U34bGWNjeVhisxWEcxKCMN2JVtxEjqYGBbbwNu7ugWxKJyUEAaAtyMEALw_wcB

Is this overkill for the space I have? - https://tradewest.ie/product/lawn-aerator-40inch/

Thanks.

The Continental Op

The tow behind one is surprisingly good. Don't over do it and you can pull a bit out each time you cut, downside is as its at the back of the mower you have to make a second pass to bag it (assuming you have a mower with a bagger?).

If you get your lawn looking really good then later on you can think about the aerator which is not for removing moss only for improving aeration and drainage which should help make the growing conditions better for grass and less good for the moss.

The electric ones are OK just don't over do it, start really high with only light moss removal otherwise before you now it you will have skip fulls of moss to get rid of. Your area might be on the large size for an electric scarifier. A neighbour is fine with his on a lawn area about half of what you have.

cathy427

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120436048#Comment_120436048

Thanks for that - much appreciated.

I will chance the tow behind one and see how I get one. It seems you can add extra weight to it if needed.

That one in the link seems about half the price of the local guys or agri euro so hopefully the material in it is ok.

Thanks also for the explanation that I am a good bit off needing the aerator!!

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120437682#Comment_120437682

All those tow ones are cheaply made with quite thin metal. As long as you can keep them stored dry they last OK.

franglan

Bought the screxfix one earlier today. Great job run it without the box and pick up the tatch or moss with the lawnmower. Run it without cutting the cable as well! Reasonably sturdy machine which does exactly what you want really. Provides a groove in the soil as well if you intend on overseeding in the next few weeks

Zardoz

I have an electrical Aldi one.

It does a good job, I use the rake attachment and it removes loads of debris each year.

I have alot of thatch in my lawn and the grass is coarse so I might try the blade attachment this month.

The last time I tried that though it tore up half the lawn, it was far too severe.

The Continental Op

Whats the blade attachment? There is one that springs to mind that fits in place of the blade on a mower and can total smash up a lawn.

Zardoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469059#Comment_120469059

This is the Blade attachment, its for the Aldi scarifier not a lawnmower.

I normally use the rake or tine attachment, bottom one in picture below

The blade tore up too much stuff last time I used it.

The Continental Op

They are a bit of an enigma? You need a really good lawn for them to work well but you wouldn't use one of those on a good lawn ;-) Normally you don't use a fixed blade scarifier on fine grass because the blades are to thick, however the electric scarifiers have much thinner blades than the professional powered machines so you can get away with it.

The best way to use it is as a vertical mower and not a scarifier. They say fixed blades are good for down to 5mm into the soil, "they" have probably never used a fixed blade scarifier set to 5 mm deep on an average lawn. I'd use it set about 5 mm above the soil so you are cutting into rossette weeds, cutting creeping weeds and cutting into unwanted clump forming grass - vertical mowing. I wouldn't think of it as a tool for removing moss although it can do that.

Zardoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469562#Comment_120469562

Thanks Continental OP.

I normally use the rake tine on the scarifier machine, it takes out alot of stuff, I usually do 2 passes .

Its mostly dead grass, thatch and moss that comes out.

I tried the blade before, not too low and it just tore chunks out of the lawn, it didn't recover afterwards as the weather turned very dry.

Ive alot of thatch in the back lawn, its very spongey, might try the blade on it at a high setting and see how it performs.

I bought a new sprayer to apply iron sulphate to the lawn and a new spreader for applying the fertiliser.

Must do a good scarification, then cut the grass down lower and apply iron sulphate and fertiliser and hopefully the lawn will improve.

The Continental Op

Used on the right grass with no moss in it that leaves parallel lines cut into the soil through the grass. Used deeply on a mossy lawn with thick grass it will just make a massive mess. Any course clump forming grasses will get torn out of the ground leaving bare patches. Use it but start by just tickling the surface by setting it to cut no more than 5mm lower than the lawn mower does. That should start to upset the weeds without creating skip fulls to clean up.

Zardoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120470457#Comment_120470457

Ah right I have you.

Think I wont bother with the blade so will just use the tine rake attachment, that removes alot of stuff but the place looks ok afterwards.

It makes the grass stand up vertically so I can cut it better, the grass is coarse, its a creeping type of grass, you cant cut it too low.

I get the moss out but it keeps returning, trees and shade and our climate, what can you do.

I don't have many weeds in the lawn.

It looks well after scarifying, here is a pic from a few years back, it probably needs a good feed.

I used Xtend 24-4-4 last time and the growth was crazy, must use less dosage this time, the new spreader will help with that.