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Yard Surfer

The Ultimate Guide to Loving Your Yard

scarifier

How to Use a Lawn Scarifier

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How to use a Lawn ScarifierHelp!  My yard is full of debris!

When excess thatch builds up in lawn soil, a lawn scarifier is often employed to break up the ground and remove debris. Everyday debris and dead grass can typically be removed with a spring lawn rake.

However, when years of growth need to be removed, the small tines on these lawn rakes are often not enough to penetrate the ground. Thatch is composed of dead grass and sometimes moss which can gather on and below the ground.

Over time, this layer can become so thick that is suffocated your lawn, preventing water and nutrients from reaching the roots.

Thatch does not break down or degrade over time, allowing it to build up.

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Lawns require a certain ratio of carbon and nitrogen to grow properly

Thatch happens to have an abundance of carbon and little nitrogen, a bad combination for growing green grass. When the thatch becomes deeper than 1/2 inch, it is time to use a scarifier to break it up.

If left untreated, thatch can become a breeding ground for plant disease and insects. It becomes a barrier that prevents oxygen, water and nutrients from reaching the roots.

Shoot density plummets, resulting in a thin and unattractive lawn. It the worst case, it will turn brown and die.

What is a Lawn Scarifier?

Lawn scarifiers come in several different forms but each do the same thing.

When pulled over a lawn, they dig into the ground with a set of sharp metal teeth. These teeth tear apart tough thatch, allowing water to penetrate the ground once again.

A portion of the thatch is also removed in this process.

The scarifier teeth range in depth from 0.5 to around 1.5 inches in depth depending on the model.

Some units even have adjustable teeth. The most basic of scarifiers are the manual push-roller models.

They look quite similar to a push reel lawnmower except that they have a series of teeth on the end. Users pull on the handles, rolling the tool across their yard.

These push models work best in smaller yards.

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The next step up from push models are the self-propelled units

These models still require users to hold handles but the machine pushes itself.

These models are heavier which means that they can dig into the ground deeper, thus making them more suited for large jobs. These units are seen more in commercial applications than home use.

A gasoline or electric lawn scarifier will run quite a bit more in cost than a human-powered model.

For the biggest lawn scarifying jobs, a tractor-pulled scarifier is the best choice.

These heavy-duty attachments connect to a garden tractor hitch. Users simply drive their tractor over the thatch-ridden areas as the unit follows behind.

How to Scarify a Lawn

Always use a lawn scarifier with vertical knife blades, as they dig into the ground and remove thatch most effectively. To start, set your blades to a shallow depth and make a pass over your lawn.

After the first pass, change the angle of your cut and increase the blade depth slightly.

It is best to spread out your cuts, gradually increasing the depth as you go.

This is more effective and healthy for your lawn than running one deep cut through it.

If done incorrectly, you could tear up your whole lawn and kill a good portion of it. Your goal is to leave at least 75 percent of your lawn intact after the job.

The debris you collect can be used in a compost tumbler and put back in your lawn after decomposition.

Related Posts:

  • Getting the job done often required the use of several specialized tools. Garden rollers are used to flatten out uneven areas of a lawn.
  • A rolling lawn aerator is used to make small holes in the ground so water and oxygen can reach the roots.

Power Rake and Dethatcher

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Power Rake and Dethatcher

Powered rakes are often referred to as a dethatcher, which is simply a device that digs into the ground shallowly and removes dead grass, thatch and even soil.

A power rake takes the burden out of pulling this material out yourself, whether it be with a hand lawn rake or thatching tool. A hand pushed electric power rake / thatcher can be of great use.

These tools look much like a lawnmower except that they have bristles or tines instead of blades.

The cylinder of tines spins around rapidly once the button is pressed, making shallow cuts into the ground as it is pushed along.

The onboard electric motors never need gasoline or laborious care. Most have padded handles and can fold up between uses.

Install onto your Rotary Lawn Mower

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One of the more common ways to power rake a lawn is to install a special tool onto your rotary lawn mower. Consisting of a piece of metal that looks much like a lawnmower blade, these devices have a set of metal or nylon tines which spin around.

When the mower passes over the ground, the rake removes ground-in debris so that it can be blown or hand raked easily. The device temporarily replaces the blade on the mower.

Note: You will need a box-end and socket wrench to perform the switch.

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Large lawns are better power raked with a towable unit. Large power rakes attach to any garden tractor with a hitch.

Users pull the rake across the ground to perform dethatching. Full or partially pneumatic tires run across the ground smoothly while the tines dig into the lawn.

These tines are replaceable, as they tend to wear out over time.

These large power rakes are best suited for people with a substantial amount of grass to cover.

In fact they are rarely seen outside of commercial applications. Nonetheless, their sturdy powder coated metal casing and excellent coverage can make them a valuable asset to any homeowner’s tool collection.

Conclusion – Why Do We do power raking and thatching in our yard?

Power Rake

As the seasons change, grass dies and collects on the ground. It can form thick layers which do not allow oxygen and nutrients to pass through.

Highly trafficked areas are prone to having compacted ground from all the shoes pressing it down. This not only hinders grass growth but creates a haven for bugs and pests.

While not mainstream quite yet, powered rakes and dethatchers are quickly rising in the ranks. Powered rakes are often referred to as a dethatcher, which is simply a device that digs into the ground shallowly and removes dead grass, thatch and even soil. A power rake takes the burden out of pulling this material out yourself, whether it be with a hand rake or thatching tool. A hand pushed electric power rake / thatcher can be of great use. These tools look much like a lawnmower except that they have bristles or tines instead of blades.
The cylinder of tines spins around rapidly once the button is pressed, making shallow cuts into the ground as it is pushed along. The onboard electric motors never need gasoline or laborious care. Most have padded handles and can fold up between uses.
One of the more common ways to power rake a lawn is to install a special tool onto your rotary lawn mower. Consisting of a piece of metal that looks much like a lawnmower blade, these devices have a set of metal or nylon tines which spin around. When the mower passes over the ground, the rake removes ground-in debris so that it can be blown or hand raked easily. The device temporarily replaces the blade on the mower. You will need a box-end and socket wrench to perform the switch.
Large lawns are better power raked with a towable unit. Large power rakes attach to any garden tractor with a hitch. Users pull the rake across the ground to perform dethatching. Full or partially pneumatic tires run across the ground smoothly while the tines dig into the lawn. These tines are replaceable, as they tend to wear out over time. These large power rakes are best suited for people with a substantial amount of grass to cover. In fact they are rarely seen outside of commercial applications. Nonetheless, their sturdy powder coated metal casing and excellent coverage can make them a valuable asset to any homeowner’s tool collection.
Why do we rake and thatch our yard? As the seasons change, grass dies and collects on the ground. It can form thick layers which do not allow oxygen and nutrients to pass through. Highly trafficked areas are prone to having compacted ground from all the shoes pressing it down. This not only hinders grass growth but creates a haven for bugs and pests.While not mainstream quite yet, powered rakes and dethatchers are quickly rising in the ranks. Powered rakes are often referred to as a dethatcher, which is simply a device that digs into the ground shallowly and removes dead grass, thatch and even soil. A power rake takes the burden out of pulling this material out yourself, whether it be with a hand rake or thatching tool. A hand pushed electric power rake / thatcher can be of great use. These tools look much like a lawnmower except that they have bristles or tines instead of blades.     The cylinder of tines spins around rapidly once the button is pressed, making shallow cuts into the ground as it is pushed along. The onboard electric motors never need gasoline or laborious care. Most have padded handles and can fold up between uses.One of the more common ways to power rake a lawn is to install a special tool onto your rotary lawn mower. Consisting of a piece of metal that looks much like a lawnmower blade, these devices have a set of metal or nylon tines which spin around. When the mower passes over the ground, the rake removes ground-in debris so that it can be blown or hand raked easily. The device temporarily replaces the blade on the mower. You will need a box-end and socket wrench to perform the switch.Large lawns are better power raked with a towable unit. Large power rakes attach to any garden tractor with a hitch. Users pull the rake across the ground to perform dethatching. Full or partially pneumatic tires run across the ground smoothly while the tines dig into the lawn. These tines are replaceable, as they tend to wear out over time. These large power rakes are best suited for people with a substantial amount of grass to cover. In fact they are rarely seen outside of commercial applications. Nonetheless, their sturdy powder coated metal casing and excellent coverage can make them a valuable asset to any homeowner’s tool collection.Why do we rake and thatch our yard? As the seasons change, grass dies and collects on the ground. It can form thick layers which do not allow oxygen and nutrients to pass through. Highly trafficked areas are prone to having compacted ground from all the shoes pressing it down. This not only hinders grass growth but creates a haven for bugs and pests.