Lawns in winter go through a lot due to the wet and cold weather. Even with the best intentions, gardeners can make things worse.
While there are lots of beneficial preparation tasks to get done ahead of time that will help the lawn look its best in spring and summer, there are some takes to put off – one of which will have disastrous effects.
Scarifying is one of those lawn tasks that helps the grass, but carrying it out in winter is a huge no-no, according to the gardening pros at Fantastic Gardeners.
Scarifying during the wrong time of year can “make or break” all the hard work you’ve put into your beautiful garden.
By doing it offseason your lawn may either “not recover at all”, or you may be facing “more problems”.
The experts urged: “Winter scarifying must be avoided at all costs! The months from November to February are very cold and you may kill your grass off completely if you attempt any sort of raking during that period.
“The grass stops growing and goes dormant. Exposing your soil to the harsh weather may cause it to suffer from frost heave and a moss invasion.”
You may be tempted by the higher temperatures and the sun in March, but the soil is still too cold from the winter months and needs more time.
Having said that, March is an excellent month to start planning and preparing for your scarifying.
The months of June, July and August are always too hot and too dry. Drought slows down grass recovery and scarifying will only leave it vulnerable to the heat.
The pros warned: “Your grass will look poorly, dry beyond saving and the chance of salvaging is very low.”
So when should you scarify lawns? The “perfect time” for scarifying has specific weather conditions you must look out for – not too cold, too hot, or too dry.
Light lawn scarification or removing the thatch can be done in spring, around April, when it’s getting warmer.
In spring the growth and recovery rate of your lawn, and all your plants, is the highest.
If you miss your chance in April another good opportunity for light scarifying would be early autumn – late August, early September.
