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How to revive a lawn after scarifying
After you’ve scarified your lawn and raked all the dead grass away, you might be shocked by how tired and worn out your lawn looks. But don’t worry, this is normal and all part of the lawn rejuvenation process. By following our guide below, you can ensure your scarifying is a resounding success and gives you the luscious green lawn you've been missing out on!
Plant fresh grass seed to revive your lawn after scarifying
One of the most effective ways to revive your lawn after scarifying is to apply some new grass seed to bring the patchy areas back to life. Also commonly known as overseeding, this process involves spreading grass seed evenly over your existing lawn to fill in any balding patches and improves the density of your lawn once the new grass grows.
For smaller areas, you can spread the seed by hand. But, if you will be spreading seeds over larger areas in your garden, we recommend using a seed spreader to make the job easier.
Our video below goes into more detail on lawn overseeding:
Feeding your grass to help it bounce back
Feeding your grass with some nutrients will help quicken root development and will encourage your grass to recover faster. Using a lawn feed like our Pre-Seed First Feed - which is best applied ten days before sowing your grass seeds - provides your seedlings with the nutrients required for better growth. You can also use this lawn food on existing grass to enhance growth and recovery and to help fix the worn-out patches of your lawn, like the areas suffering from wear and tear caused by scarifying!
How long does it take for a lawn to recover after scarifying?
You can expect your lawn to recover and show visible improvements within 4-6 weeks after scarifying. But, even though scarifying has a long-term recovery time, the rewards pay off! Remember, your lawn will recover faster and show even better results if you’ve overseeded and applied lawn food.
Assess the condition of your lawn
Before taking any action to revive your lawn, we recommend walking around your garden and evaluating the condition of your grass.
- Look for bald patches, areas where the thatch build-up has had the most impact or areas where the soil is compacted – these areas will benefit from aerating and overseeding the most.
- Pay attention to parts of your lawn where the ground is uneven, and this can be fixed by levelling.
- Aeration helps your lawn breathe by creating holes in the soil to improve drainage. Areas of your lawn showing signs of waterlogging or where the ground looks swampy will likely have drainage problems.
Water your lawn after scarifying
One of the best ways to help your lawn recover after scarifying is to give it a drink. Ensure your garden isn't waterlogged before watering it! Water will help your grass bounce back quickly, as hydration is one of the main things your grass needs to grow. To give yourself less work, you can keep an eye on your local weather forecast and time your scarifying so that expected rainfall arrives in the days that follow.
However, if nature is not on your side and no rainfall is expected, you can water your lawn using your garden hose or a lawn sprinkler. We have a helpful video guide on watering your lawn below:
Can I use Weed and Feed after scarifying?
We recommend waiting until your lawn has recovered before using a weed and feed after scarifying. Once the 4-6 weeks have passed and your grass is back to full strength, you can use our 3 IN 1 Lawn Rescue, and your grass will respond better and outgrow weeds more effectively than before.
We have further reading on some best practices for lawn care below:
