Spring: Raking & Light Scarifying

Light de-thatching, scarifying, and moss removal can be done in spring and or autumn. Spring generally means sometime in April just as things warm up, thereby increasing the growth and recovery rate, but before the heat and dryness of summer slow things down. Autumn would generally be late August or September as the rains start but before the cold sets in.

Autumn: Heavy Scarifying

For heavy thatch or moss infestations requiring deeper scarifying or raking, try to stick to the autumn period.

Why?

Heavy raking or scarifying will seriously thin the lawn, exposing soil in many places. This makes an ideal seedbed not only for overseeding with new and improved grass seed but also for all the weed and weed grass seeds floating around. By confining this intensive treatment to August or September, you will avoid most of the year’s weed seeds. If you do this in spring, you’ll replace your moss or thatch problem with a weed problem! There are a few exceptions when spring is the best time:
·It is better to rake or scarify in spring if you could not do it the previous autumn, perhaps due to bad weather, rather than put it off. Putting it off from autumn to autumn could mean you’ll have a bigger problem than a few weeds!
·If the area to be sacrificed is shady. Shady areas will thin over winter and thicken up from spring onwards. Therefore, if you scarify in autumn, you’ll make things worse.
·If the area is under trees. The shade from trees plus the autumn fall of leaves will reduce grass health and vigour, but in spring – late March through April – the trees are bare, allowing maximum light to your lawn, enabling good growth and full opportunity for new grass seed to get growing.