Scarifying for a lasting beautiful lawn

Moss, thatch and weed removal

Regular scarifying keeps the lawn nice, clean and healthy. Since the spraying of grass is no longer allowed under the Green Deal, this is also becoming more common. "It's important that water, nutrients and sunlight can get to the roots," he says.

Scarifying is a good and more environmentally friendly way to remove moss, weeds and dead organic material, such as grass clippings, from the grass. Michaël van der Lienden is manager at Van der Haeghe, exclusive importer in the Netherlands of a number of leading garden and park brands. "To keep grass healthy and free of fungus, it is important that water, nutrients and sunlight can reach the roots. Especially for sports fields, golf courses, in parks and in gardens. By scarifying, you also displace "street grass. This is increasingly common due to the great drought and mild winters of recent years."

Removing felt layer

Residual grass clippings cause a thatch layer, which hinders the growth of a turf. Scarifying the grass brings the thatch to the surface. The blades of a scarifier rotate through the turf at high speed. The depth is adjustable and depends on the condition of the turf. "Usually with a depth of up to 50 mm you get most of the material out. The machine runs on a large-diameter roller so it follows the contours of the terrain well." There are different types of scarifiers. Narrow scarifiers, driven by a tractor, have a working width between 1.30 and 2.10 meters. To get a quiet operation of the machine, the blades are usually spirally mounted. The blades are about 2 mm thick. Van der Lienden: "Working with thicker knives requires more power. In doing so, the trenches then become too wide, which is not conducive to restoring the turf." There are also scarifiers that immediately clean up the raised material. These machines have a different blade system, so less working depth can be achieved with them. If the mat is regularly scarified, such a machine can be a good solution.

Popular models of scarifiers

Van der Haeghe took over distribution of the Redexim brand late last year: world market leader in machines for sports field and golf course maintenance. The program includes aerators, seeders, sanders, top dressers, brushes and stand-alone scarifiers without direct collection. "There is a lot of demand for these machines. The most popular model of scarifier is the Redexim Verti-Cut 1600. This scarifier has 2 mm wide blades that work to a depth of 50 mm. The front roller not only allows the Verti-Cut to handle uneven surfaces, but also controls the working depth. The distance between the blades can be changed with the optional spacer kit." Another popular model is the Redexim Turf Tidy 3000. This versatile machine can scarify, sweep or flail. The Turf Tidy's fully floating head follows soil contours for accurate mowing and excellent pickup. The dirt container can be easily emptied. "Professional landscapers usually scarify twice a year: in spring and fall. After the material is removed from the turf, nutrients can be added to maintain turf quality."