Lawn Scarification & Over Seeding
All Green Lawn Treatments provides a complete scarification service to give you a healthier lawn.
This can be followed by over-seeding for thicker grass coverage.
What is scarification?
Lawn scarification is a mechanical process that is primarily used to remove thatch from the lawn. A good way to think of it is as ‘mechanical raking’.
Scarification prepares your lawn well for other treatments such as the application of fertiliser. All Green often carries out over seeding after scarification as this helps to thicken your lawn and speed up recovery.
Why do lawns need scarifying?
Over time a layer of leaves, root stems, and dead and living grass will form between the base of the stems of grass and the soil below. This layer is called thatch. A thin layer of thatch is not considered a problem as it helps resilience of the lawn. If the thatch becomes too thick however, it will start to absorb the water, nutrients and air that your lawn needs to stay healthy. At this point the thatch will need removing.
Lawn scarification will also remove any moss that has grown on your lawn. Some lawns are particularly susceptible to moss growth, for example if the lawn is in shade, is prone to waterlogging or if the soil is acidic. Mowing your grass too closely can also encourage the growth of moss.
How will I know if my lawn needs scarifying?
As thatch or moss thickens and starts to absorb water you may find that your lawn feels ‘spongy’ underfoot. However there may be other reasons for this. The only way to be sure that the thatch layer or moss is problematic is to physically check. Do this by raking a small patch of lawn to lift the grass, and then getting down to take a closer look. Any moss should be immediately apparent and you may also be able to see evidence of a thickened thatch layer. To double check the thickness of the thatch, remove a sample of lawn – soil, thatch and grass – and take a look at the depth of the thatch. If it is over about 7 mm your lawn would benefit from scarification.
Brown patches on your lawn can also indicate the need for scarification. However these can be caused by a number of different things, such as disease. Scarifying a lawn that is suffering from any type of disease is potentially dangerous, as the process may spread the disease throughout the grass. That’s why it’s always worth seeking a professional opinion.
When would you carry out over seeding?
Over seeding is exactly as it sounds; the application of grass seed over existing lawns. It helps to fill in thinner areas of lawn, as well as improving the colour of your lawn and potentially increasing weed-, disease- and pest-resistance. It is beneficial to combine over seeding with scarification as this helps to ensure that lawn regrowth is uniform.
How do All Green carry out scarification?
All Green uses a professional petrol scarifier that will remove thatch and moss from the lawn. A mechanised scarification process is far more effective than manually raking the lawn. The machines that we use are also far more powerful than the type of machine that you are able to buy in the shops. This ensures the more thorough and consistent removal of thatch and moss.
As noted above, because of the risk of spreading lawn diseases it’s important that a professional establishes that scarification is the most appropriate treatment for your lawn. All Green Lawn Treatments will do this as part of our free lawn analysis. We will then arrange a time to carry out the scarification, together with over seeding as appropriate. We will remove any debris into your garden waste bin.
What time of year should scarification take place?
We tend to carry out lawn scarification and over seeding in the spring. Doing it at this time gives the grass a chance to recover faster during the growing season. We may also recommend other treatments at this time such as the application of fertiliser or herbicides. You can find out more about those here.