Everything To Know About Scarifying (Removing Thatch) From A Lawn (Lawn Renovation Series)

Today I talk about everything you need to know about scarifying a lawn. How to remove thatch and allow your lawn to breathe again. Scarification is the best way to dethatch from your lawn.
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[@callumhollingworth2013]

In the UK it's pouring it down and heading rapidly into winter... One of the best things about this channel is I can live vicariously through it 😂

[@LawnTips]

Glad I can help out 😂👌🏽

[@restoblastrestoblast154]

@@LawnTips Hi Ben, may i ask, if i am mowing at 20mm, have already done a core only, last week. Should i do a low mow with the rotary before a scarify, or just for clean up like you have done & then a light top dress ? Thanks mate.

[@caveman5831]

@@restoblastrestoblast154 mate, well I hand corred my front lawn then used my rotary on the lowest setting and scalped it hard then used grub and bug killer with granular fertiliser gave it a good watering and yeah almost 5 weeks in its looking killa still got spots to fill in and eventually I'll use weed n feed to get rid of the weeds in a week or so. But yeah I find that my rotary gets low enough to be happy with out scarifying it.

[@restoblastrestoblast154]

@@caveman5831 I'm hoping to scarify, but i was hoping that Ben would advise if he would just scarify, low mow, tress dress, or low mow, scarify, low mow clean up, top dress. I've been using lawn porn products & acelepryn.

[@caveman5831]

@@restoblastrestoblast154 ahh ok, yeah that depends on wat lawn u have and if u got kikuyu then that will handle all the abuse u want to give. Also it depends how high ur lawn is now as if its short already then should be safe to scarify, mow low then ur fertilisers, I started early with mine so its ready way b4 summer and I also use off the shelf products which seems to do well for where im situated.

[@theaussielawn]

Ahh reno season 😍 That time of year we all look forward to but by the end don't want to think about for another 12 months hahaha

[@LawnTips]

Exactly bro 😂

[@BiPolarBaRe]

Just got done scalping and having a much needed lie down before picking up all the dead grass.

[@jameswright8157]

Best way to start your Saturday’s! Coffee and lawn tips. Love your work Ben!

[@LawnTips]

Thanks mate! Enjoy your weekend 👌🏽

[@BarrieMead]

Something so satisfying about scarifying.... I've watched this vid like 3 times and it makes me happy

[@filipechen87]

Can not think of a better way to start a long weekend!

[@roywilson2231]

Nice to see that Schnitty has a play mate

[@cjzx325]

That front lawn was looking tight coming out of winter! So much progress since you moved in.

[@mr260z3]

When I scarify my lawn I find that it’s a good idea to put out some liquid kelp. It seems to help with the shock to the plant and helps the recovery process.

[@lukepownall7292]

Only a true lawn fanatic will relate to how satisfying it is to run a mower across a lawn which has been ‘thinned out’ like this 😊

[@trishhunt3137]

Great timing I bought a greenworks and scarified some of my couch lawn yesterday. The stuff that came out was insane. I plan to keep going now. I just need a bigger bin 😂

[@calebevans8437]

3mins in then a 'yo mate what up' I was just about to start writing it as a comment like I do one every vid you dont say it 😂 looking bloody sharp mate and I thought little dogo had gone and cloned himself 😂😂😂

[@Striperman]

I actually used my Greenworks dethatcher recently with the spring tines on my 3 month old sod. I figured it would help transforming it to low cut turf. It was never done in the 18 months it went from seed to harvest at the sod farm and it did help out. Bring it down from 3.75" HOC to .75" has been a trial but getting there. Lawn is looking great already for early Spring and I see even Schnitty has a twin too lol

[@user-qq5uu2rz2h]

Thanks for sharing this tutorial! Very helpful

[@OorOaksey]

Yip belting doon wae rain in Lanarkshire. I have to try and get a couple of dry days before I start my Reno, but cant wait. Great job Ben. I thought I was seeing double with the wee dogs Lol

[@timawn]

Should chuck in some flashback footage of how the lawn was looking back pre the first reno 👌🏼

[@trevormuggeridge4560]

Last Aussie 😁. Great explanation on the differences there Ben. 🤠

[@delinquense]

So what's the difference between scarifying and dethatching then?

[@Legendary_UA]

Whaddup Mate! Everything looks great

[@aussiesimmo]

Is scarification something you'd do on rhizomatous cool season grasses like KBG, RTF and creeping red fescue etc?

[@gregors92]

Can you scarify and scalp on weekend and then core & top dress the week after? Or is it best to scalp at the same time as core and top dress?

[@JTprodAu]

I’m from Brisbane. I’ve got all my gear ready to do my scarify aerate and top dress. I’ve got Bermuda seed that I want to oversow with. If my lawns actively growing now would it hurt to start oversowing my lawn now in early spring?

[@hicksg100]

We have a buffalo lawn that is way too spongey. To the point that it is hard to mow. How can I thin it out if scarifier isnt recommended?

[@allanbriggs807]

I have had buffalo for 30 years and never ever scarify.. I own a small Victa mower. In Spring drop it one notch and then a fortnight later a further notch. I then topdress if required and fertilise. Absolutely soak it for a few weeks and hey presto - good lawn. Remember buffalo is supposed to be spongy.

[@Bupalooga1]

Another awesome video Ben! 👌 Question... Are you able to comment on how spring tine style aerator reels fit in compared to grooming and true-scarrifying reels?

[@LawnTips]

Going to be more like a groomer to be honest mate. They don’t really get below the soil

[@costa9091]

I haven’t scarified my sir Walter buffalo lawn since I laid it in 2005. It has a lot of thatch and grows unevenly. It’s green on top and almost completely dead underneath. I’m planning on doing it mid February. How deep should I set the blades.

[@tradesmansassistant]

Not to mention, Scarifying is a great way to "reset" folded over leaves from the roller on a cylinder mower and makes the leaves stand up straight again.

[@damienquinn]

Watching with great interest as we're preparing for our first reno in 12 years. When it comes time to aerate and topdress, can show us how you estimate how much sand to order? This is the only part of the procedure that daunts me. Too much and we're stuck with a big bulka-bag... too little and we have to pay another delivery charge! *chews gum faster*

[@LawnTips]

I’d recommend you use 1m3 of topdress /100m2 that will get you 10mm thickness. Hope that helps!

[@damienquinn]

@@LawnTips And I guess add a little extra to fill the plug holes and level the serious ruts. Time to up my estimation! Thanks bud.

[@LawnTips]

Not a big need but you can for sure

[@damienquinn]

@@LawnTips Cool, I'll stick to your formula instead of dead reckoning lol

[@allanbriggs807]

DO NOT use sand to topdress. It has no nutritional value. Pay a little more and use a mix of garden soil (60-70%) and sand (30- 40%) - and maybe a bit of chicken manure thrown in.. It's easy to spread and gives an almost instant result.

[@jakerittner1694]

Got to wait a few weeks till i can mow mine overseeded not sure if 2 weeks is to long to wait or can do sooner..

[@colinmason6676]

Soooo much lawn. Such a little mower… thoughts on going to a heavier wider mower?? And yes ladies size matters lol.

[@BOKBEFOK303]

If you Scarify do you need to do a full reno? are there any benefits to just scarifying? Only reason im asking coz were renting but i want the from yard to do a little better without spending all the time and money doing it proper

[@samthesr20man]

If you cut corners you cut the results.

[@RJ-xm6mt]

12 month old Zoysia. Is it ok to scarify, scalp, core and topdress? Located SEQ

[@rmdonline]

Question if below thatch is an inch thick. what depth would you go to be effective? Or is it too far gone.

[@notmyname857]

Yo mate, Looking forward to warmer temps and DST? If only the rain would back off for a bit.

[@LawnTips]

What’s DST? 😂

[@notmyname857]

Daylight Saving Time, clocks forward Sunday morning Bro

[@LawnTips]

@@notmyname857 I should have known that. Sure am looking forward to it. Love the longer days and light!

[@BiPolarBaRe]

What’s the absolute longest you would suggest a somewhat lazy gardener like me goes between full renovations?

[@dsmith9103]

Would you use a groomer on a cricket wicket?

[@kevinhamling1963]

G'day Ben, I'm following along with renovating my Kikuyu lawn but this year I was hoping to build a section up about 2inches. (About 4m x 4m) Would I be best to use a sandy loam soil or sand. Owe good luck with the rain let's hope it holds off for a while. ✌️ Peace.

[@musc258]

How long should you leave between applications of a broadleaf killer like bow and arrow? I know it knocks the grass a bit.

[@SRM_NZ]

Now in Auckland I have found it better to dethatch/reno my Kikuyu lawns directly after the summer heat/dry of February....our soils are usually so wet and cold before Christmas my clients complain about their lawns looking like shite for so long, can be up to a couple to 3 months from Sept/Oct....and this before Christmas, isn't worth the added stress...but late Feb, early March Kikuyu responds really quickly....like 2-3weeks quick.....is that wrong to wait until after the heat of summer?

[@gofourlo]

Yo mate, I have only got 40 meters of lawn (zoysia), not worth me buying all the machinery, can these tasks be achieved using hand tools. For example I used a rake and removed a heap of dead grass. Would be good if you could mention alternate methods in your vid’s for people who don’t have access to all the gear. Thanks .

[@damienquinn]

Yeah, a poor-man's alternative would be good

[@brandonjayell]

Depending if you have friends who are also keen on a nice lawn you can rent these machines and split the payment and get them done over a weekend

[@LawnTips]

You can use hand tools for sure. There is a good take at Bunnings. Check this out www.bunnings.com.au/cyclone-timber-handle-long-thatching-rake_p0318002

[@BLEACH366]

If its a small area you should be bagging all the clippings a cheap thatching rake and to break up the hard crusty surface instead of scarifying you can use dawn dish soap non anti bacterial

[@brandonjayell]

In regards to my patchy back lawn that’s a mixture of rye around the edges and kik in the middle, do I just stick to scarifying where the kik is? Also I just use a rake and a bad back 😂

[@LawnTips]

You’ll be fine scarfing the rye mate. Can still get below ground thatch!

[@ChristopherHallett]

With a roof like that, you really want to at least triple the number of panels you have on it, and run a double or even triple battery setup - go completely self-sufficient (electrically at least), including charging your own EVs.

[@MyFWD]

What would you recommend if the soil has abit of clay?

[@2991nhoj]

I've got a Ryobi Scarifier with couch, up in Brisbane. Is there any harm in using it as a groomer, by using it on the lightest setting and running over it once a month (or so)? I know the blade pitch is much larger than a real groomer, but I'm looking to do the most with the tools I've got. Also, how early is too early for pgr? Has come bounding back from a light Reno and is already looking like it needs a cut every 3 days..

[@andyk8322]

Scour v dethatch what would be the scenario you’d use it in

[@Lachy1100]

Hey Ben :) great channel. What drone do you use for your aerial shots?

[@LawnTips]

Thanks mate! I use the DJI Mavic Pro II 👌🏽

[@GR19611]

Just wondering if below ground irrigation is best given that you scar and core the lawns ? Surely a surface traveling sprinkler is better?

[@LawnTips]

If you bury the lines 200mm deep you’ll be fine 👌🏽 Just mark out sprinklers when you do renovation work

[@GR19611]

@@LawnTips Thankyou .

[@bogancentralinternet]

My mrs would kill me if i spent any more time on the lawn. Horticulturalist by trade, i spend 8 hours deep in it daily, come home and get angry stares when i glance out the window 😂

[@LawnTips]

Haha 😂

[@jgdavidson90]

I’ve got a fair bit of pennywort going through my lawn. Do you think a scarifier or groomer would pull it out without the need for herbicides?

[@allanbriggs807]

N-N NO. Go to your nursery. There is a special product that you paint on. Takes time but it does work.

[@duncan7855]

Should I Scalp first? On couch.

[@LawnTips]

Can do it in any order 👍🏽

[@procaes]

What's the go with buff mate? Can you scarify like you do here... mine has heaps of dead thatch - S.W Buff

[@LawnTips]

I chat about it at 6:05 Don’t scarify buff. I’d only groom it or give it a light scalp

[@rattybb3694]

Scarify then Scalp first or can you do it the other way round Scalp then Scarify? Does it matter?

[@LawnTips]

Doesn’t matter at all mate! All comes down to personal preference

[@edkaempf906]

Why do this? It seems it makes the lawn less thick.

[@allanbriggs807]

At last a sensible questiion. If toy have, say, Sir Walter buffalo then it is supposed to be thick. Most lawns do not need scarifying - just drop the mower a notch or two - then topdress and fertilise. It works - takes less time and produces a great result.

[@radioman321]

“So as you can see, it did pull a lot out. We did get a lot of that dead organic material from there, but as I said, there is not a lot.” Got it… 😂 only joking.

[@LawnTips]

Yeah i confuse myself sometimes 😂

[@jonathanpolyblank6512]

Hi mate. Can/should you dethatch zeon zoysia?

[@LawnTips]

100% mate! You definitely can

[@SuperJ3R3MY]

two shnitty's!?!?!😁😁

[@afseale]

Two puppies!

[@BrettSucks]

2:30 Good idea to keep yer eye out for groomers., Especially near yer kids.

[@LawnTips]

Always need to watch your back

[@BrettSucks]

@@LawnTips A mirror on a stick is what you need for that. Or get a friend to help, You could return the favour & watch their back.

[@LawnTips]

@@BrettSucks you are a wise man

[@BrettSucks]

@@LawnTips I’m not religious.

[@LawnTips]

@@BrettSucks explain the smell of incense then

[@siggi5395]

Tow Dogs 😁

[@wiktorpoliszczuk1372]

Never ever Scarify your lawn !!!

[@bostromb]

First

[@dannehnyu2369]

DAMMMIT

[@bazzaharrington3298]

Mowing Household lawns are an ecological crime and a waste of time and resources that's why some county's ban the practice of growing and watering grass