Content
Raking and Scarifying
Thatch and moss disposal
Having scarified the lawn I now have a Mt. Everest of a pile of moss and dead grass! Is there any procedure to make this useful for next year? I can't imagine it composting in any reasonable time frame.
Simon - unfortunately it's not a lot of use.
You could possibly use it in place of straw to protect delicate plants over winter but other than that I'm out of ideas. You are right in that it won't compost reasonably well; in fact it is extremely slow so consider a trip(s) to the recycling yard.
Finally, if you've removed so much moss and debris from your lawn you really need to over sow with new seed to thicken it before the winter otherwise the moss will re-occupy the space before the grass has chance to fill in.... and by chance I know a man who has some very good grass seed!
_____________________________________________________________________
Over seeding after scarifying - nothing growing
Hi Rachel
A very common problem particularly this year (2009) as it has been a very dry spring in many areas.
Assuming that it was not too cold (less than 80C) the cause is the grass seed either not germinating or it has died after germinating. It can sometimes be hard to tell which it is. Your problem will have arisen for one of two reasons:
Not being watered sufficiently:
Grass seed needs moisture to germinate and then regular small quantities of water to grow. This means watering once or twice a day for the first month. Don't drown the area, all you have to do is stop it drying out. Unfortunately if the area is large and you have been relying on the April showers to do the watering then the dry spring will be the main cause of your problems.
In addition, if there is some thatch or moss left and the grass seed is not in contact with the soil it will be hard to keep damp enough to germinate and grow.
What to do....
Check the seed is in contact with the soil and consider whether or not you watered regularly enough. If there isn't any seed left or you think it germinated but died then add some more and look after it.
If the area is large and it is impossible to water I'm afraid you'll have to put up with a patchy lawn for a while. When things cool down towards the end of August you'll need to kill off any weeds and dig out any invading weed grasses. Re-scarify the area to expose the soil and over sow with grass seed again. If the area is dry let the rains soak the soil for awhile before seeding so that there is a reserve of water for the seedlings to tap into.
_______________________________________________________________________
Scarifying in winter
I have ******** lawn care service who look after my lawn. It is much improved so I believed they did a good job until I read your article on raking and scarifying. You say to do this in the growing season only, yet ******** do it in the middle of winter. Should I confront them on this?
Mrs Mann – I understand your concern
I stand by what I say about raking and scarifying in the growing season. I think if you spoke to your lawn care company they would agree as well. However, they also have to keep working all year round AND satisfy their clients, many of whom don’t want any disruption on their lawns from spring to autumn. This means many lawn care companies have to compromise and do some treatments at a less than ideal time.
You appear to be happy with your service so be open with them and discuss your concerns. If you tell them that all you want is your raking/scarifying done in the spring or autumn I’m sure they will be most pleased to keep your business and accommodate your desires.
_______________________________________________________________________
