Should You Mow a Lawn Before Scarifying?

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Scarifying the lawn can drastically improve its health, but mowing it at the wrong time can have adverse effects. This process limits the amount of thatch on the grass, so it needs to be long enough for you to remove the dead grass layer without pushing it into the soil.

You should mow a lawn before scarifying to let the dethatcher remove as much thatch as possible. Mow the lawn down to 2.5 inches, go over it with a dethatcher, and rake the excess grass clippings and thatch off of the yard. Overseed and water the lawn after scarifying it.

In this article, we’ll show you when you should scarify the lawn, whether you need to mow it before or after, and how long the grass should be when you scarify it. We’ll also discuss the best months for mowing and scarifying a lawn, as well as if it’ll remove excess weeds in the yard.

Should I Mow Before or After Scarifying?

You should mow before and after scarifying to get the most out of dethatching the lawn. Mowing the lawn before scarifying will let the dethatcher dig deep and remove excess dead grass, whereas mowing it after scarifying lets you scoop the leftover clippings that made it through the dethatcher.

If you’re using a dethatcher to remove a straw blanket from your lawn, it’s best to wait until the new grass is about three inches long. This length will help the grass establish its roots and prevent it from pulling out of the soil when you scarify it.

That being said, there are many steps you should take to prepare your lawn for scarifying and dethatching. Let’s analyze them below.

Keep this video in mind for a visual tutorial:

How Do I Prepare My Lawn for Scarifying?

To prepare your lawn for scarifying, follow this process:

  1. Overseed the lawn and ensure the grass isn’t too wet. Wet grass will stick to the dethatcher and force the blades to pull the grass unevenly. It’ll remove healthy, fresh grass rather than the thatch layer. Scarifying should rejuvenate your lawn, not shred it apart. Morning dew or high humidity can also cause this common issue.
  2. Mow the lawn to 2 to 2.5 inches to ensure the best scarifying depth. This length is perfect for most lawns throughout the year. Letting the grass get too long can lead to fungal gross and lots of bugs. On the other hand, a short lawn looks patchy and can cause irritation when walking on it.
  3. Use a rake or dethatcher to scarify the lawn from edge to edge. The Greenworks 10A Corded Dethatcher should be near the top of your list because it has sharpened blades, folding handles, and an adjustable depth setting. You can also choose the 13-amp or 40V models.
  4. Water the lawn when you’re done scarifying it. It’s important to water the lawn after the scarification process to promote healthy growth. After overseeding, mowing, and scarifying the lawn, the new seeds will need something to encourage germination.
  5. Aerate the lawn to ensure the best oxygen intake from the soil and roots. According to Garden Seeker, aerating the lawn will encourage oxygen, sunlight, and nutrients to absorb into the soil. It’ll also help the water from the previous step make its way to the roots and new seeds.

Scarifying your lawn shouldn’t be too time-consuming, especially if you overseed and water it correctly. Remember to mow your lawn low enough to reveal as much of the thatch layer as possible. If the grass is too long, the dethatcher won’t be able to do its job properly.

How Long After Scarifying Should I Cut Grass?

You should cut the grass a week after scarifying since it’ll already be low enough from mowing it before you used the dethatcher. Follow your regular lawn maintenance process and include overseeding sessions before or after scarifying the lawn, especially in patchy areas.

Adding too much water can make your lawn smell gross. It can also affect the mulch. Mulch shouldn’t smell like manure, fungus, or anything other than dirt, soil, grass clippings, and wood. The soil should be saturated, but make sure it’s not mushy or muddy.

There’s no rule regarding mowing the lawn too soon after scarifying. It should’ve been cut beforehand, so there’s no reason to cut it again until the grass is about three inches long.

That being said, you can rake it right after if you’d like to. Raking a lawn after scarifying and mowing it will remove the leftover clippings. It’s a great choice for those who want to make their lawn look as new, green, and vibrant as possible.

What Month Should I Scarify My Lawn?

You should scarify your lawn in April or September to ensure there’s not too much sunlight or rain. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to scarify a lawn. The grass is mixed with a thatch layer, so it’s time to mow and scarify it to prepare it for the summer or winter.

Spaldwick explains that scarifying your lawn in the summer or during a rainy winter season can make it too dry or wet. Either way, the dethatcher will pull the roots from the soil, ruining the lawn. The good news is that you can use a plastic rake to remove the thatch layer throughout the year without any issues.

As mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t dethatch the lawn with a rake or dethatcher when it’s too wet. Do it in the morning or when the sun is setting to preserve the grass as much as possible.

Does Scarifying Remove Weeds?

Scarifying doesn’t remove weeds, but it can prevent them from reproducing if you scarify the grass before they drop their seeds. The only surefire way to remove weeds is to spray them with an herbicide and remove them from their roots. Trimming the weeds doesn’t stop them from growing back.

So, how does scarifying affect the weeds in your yard?

  • Scarifying can stop the weeds from spreading their seeds. If you scarify the lawn after mowing weeds, it can prevent the seeds from dropping all over the place. Make sure you follow it up by removing the roots by hand. You can also use herbicides to dry the weeds and make them easier to pull out.
  • It’ll lower the weeds’ height, making them less visible. This quick-fix is fine if you’re having company over and you want the lawn to look good. However, it can make it a little more difficult to pull them out. Remember, leaving weeds in your lawn will eventually let them spread.
  • Dethatching the grass can remove dead weeds from the lawn. If you’ve sprayed the weeds with herbicide and you want to minimize how much manually pulling you have to do, dethatching the grass could be quite beneficial. It’ll loosen the weeds from their roots, but go slow and steady to stop them from leaving them in the soil.

If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide to get rid of weeds, check out my article. Scarifying and dethatching can be a part of the process, but they’re far from the only things necessary to stop weeds from returning for good. In fact, mowing or dethatching weeds improperly can make them spread throughout the yard.

Final Thoughts

Scarifying your lawn at the right time and immediately after mowing the grass will bring it back to life. Don’t forget to add extra grass seed and water to promote a new layer of grass. Remember to manually remove the weeds from their roots to stop them from coming back.

Jonah

Jonah loves researching new ways to grow and maintain healthy plants. If he's not writing on one of his many blogs, he's likely playing acoustic guitar, watching survival shows, or mapping routes for future road trips.

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