A mild (comparatively) winter has allowed moss to grow on lawns and now is the time to tease it out.
Regular scarifying allows moisture and nutrients to penetrate to the roots and will produce more vigorous healthy growth.
And moss along with dead grass and flat growing weeds will choke all new growth and leave the lawn looking dull.
Scarifying with a modern machine can ease out moss and all the other rubbish so that new growth can flourish.
The days when this task was undertaken with a tined rake are, thankfully, long gone, as this was one of the most tiring and thankless tasks facing gardeners.
So we’ve put together ten top scarifiers made for small lawns all the way up to rolling green acres. And if you can’t decide which one is right for your garden, then give us a ring on 020 3026 8712 and have a chat.
Let’s start with a couple of machines from German manufacturer Einhell.
Their GC-SC 2240P Petrol Lawn Scarifier has been a best seller for several years, in fact we often sell out! With 18 steel blades and a 118 cc engine it is suitable for areas around 100 sq metres.
See the reviews for this scarifier and you’ll read what previous customers think.
Costing just £269.95 it is deliver free the next working day with a two year warranty.
For smaller lawns this one from the same stable will do the trick.
The Einhell RG-SA 1433 Electric Scarifier has two cassettes. The first has 20 blades to ease out the moss and other debris. The second has 48 claws to open up the surface and allow moisture through.
It has three depth settings so you can adjust it according to your own lawn. A 1400 Watt motor delivers the power.
This one costs £109.95, is delivered free the next working day and has a two year warranty.
Al-Ko is another German company which produces similar machines.
Their Comfort 38E Combi-Care Electric Aerator / Scarifier has a 1300 Watt electric motor and two cassettes, one for aeration with 14 steel blades to cut slits into the lawn and allow moisture to penetrate and the other with 24 spring hooks to pull out moss and other debris.
This one has five working depths and a smooth underside to make it easier to keep clean.
It costs £160 with free delivery the next working day and a two year warranty.
The Comfort 38P Combi-Care Petrol Aerator / Scarifier has both an aeration cassette and a 38 cm scarifying cassett, this with 24 steel sprung hooks to pull out the debris.
Power is from a 53 cc engine, it has five depth settings and again has a smooth underside to make cleaning easy and large rear wheels to make ir easy to manoeuvre.
It costs £339 is delivered free the next working day and has a two year warranty. And with this one you receive a free10-litre Garden Power petrol can worth £14.95.
Now here’s a bigger machine for larger lawns and even for professional use.
The Efco AG40-S50 Semi-Professional Petrol Lawn Scarifier has a Subaru engine and has steel blades mounted on ball bearings to give a longer working life.
It has a 40 cm working width meaning you can cover larger areas quite quickly and has a large collector for the debris.
It costs £659, £170 less than the recommended price and has a three year warranty. It is delivered free the next working day.
The AG50-H60 is a bigger machine again, from the same manufacturer, and made for professional use. It costs £869 and has a two year warranty.
Everyone knows that the British manufacturer Hayter produces brilliant lawnmowers but they also make a great scarifier suitable for medium sized lawns.
Their SP36 Petrol Lawn Scarifier has a 155 cc Briggs & Stratton engine and has 15 blades with five settings and by selecting the highest one it is possible to cross paths without damaging it.
It costs £489, £70 off the recommended retail price and has a one year warranty and free next working day delivery.
Now here’s one from the USA.
The MTD O38VO Petrol Scarifier has a 179 cc four stroke engine and a working width of 38 cm.
It has a variety of settings, the higher will tease out the moss and thatch while the lower setting will leave slits to allow moisture to penetrate the roots.
The debris bag holds 50 litres and the machine weighs only 30 kg.
It costs £379, £70 less than the recommended price, has a two year warranty and free next working day delivery.
The company also makes an electric machine, the MTD O34VE, for £179.
One now one from another favourite manufacture of mowers.
The Mountfield S38 Petrol Lawn Scarifier. This has 16 double-tipped blades and is powered by a 127 cc Briggs & Stratton engine designed to be easy to start.
It has a 45 litre catcher and a deflector plate, which means you can use it without the catcher if you wish. The finish is powder coated to give it a longer working life.
It costs £499, £50 off the recommended retail price and is delivered free within two to three working days. There is a one year warranty from Mountfield.
If you use a lawn tractor to keep the grass cut, this machine will do the trick for you.
The Agri-Fab 40″ Spring Tine Dethatcher (45-0294) has a40 cm working width and 20 sprung tines to ease out the moss and rubbish from the surface.
A ballast tray is fitted so that with the addition of a couple of concrete blocks the tines will penetrate further. It can take a weight of 31.5 kg.
It can be attached to virtually all lawn tractors with a pin hitch.
It costs £99, has a five year warranty and has free next working day delivery.
For smaller lawns you might want to have a look at the Bosch
Smaller lawns: Bosch ALR 900 electric lawn rake
Electric Lawn Rake with a 900 Watt electric motor, four working heights and a highly efficient ‘Jet Collect’ system for the debris.
It costs £149.95, is delivered free the next working day and has a two year warranty.
The Flymo Compact 3400 Electric Lawnraker is a similar machine with a 670 Watt motor and a 34 cm working width.
It weighs only 12.4 kg and is delivered free the next working day with a two year warranty. It costs £89.95.
With the first warmth of Spring coming, now is the perfect time to scarify the lawn but, to keep it looking free, scarifying is best carried out around every six weeks.
See these pages for a huge list of scarifyers and aerators and remember you can give us a ring on 020 3026 8712 if you would like our advice or want to discuss any machines on our site before purchase.
