Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: mobilekat on May 03, 2014, 18:53
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We have moss- lots of it, and a thatched and neglected lawn. :wacko:
So we have fed and moss treated it, - which has helped lots! and hand raked lots of moss out, but OH wants to get a aerator/scarifier to make the job easier.
We have heard mixed reviews about these devices, and being old school to me a 'ruddy good stabbing' with a fork will do one job, and more raking the other.
Has anyone tried the electric ones or are they a waste of money?- Which seem to rate the Al-ko ones, but they are £150, and not sure if worth the money!
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You may think you've got a lot of thatch out with a rake but you will be amazed how much comes up with a mechanical one. I have a cassette attachment for my cylinder mower and it works a treat. As it doesnt need doing too often though it is quite an expense so I would ask around to see if you could borrow or hire one.
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I've got one which has the two attachments. It certainly gets a lot of moss out!
I'm not so convinced by the slit aeration though.
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I think mine cost about £50 a couple of years ago from B&Q. Like Steve says you will be amazed what they get out. I wish I had bought mine years ago.
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Sounds promising!
Yorkie/Yorky do you happen to know the makes of the ones you have?
I can see that B&Q seem to do the MacAllister ones, but Which claimed the Al-ko's got more out- but then some reviews say they tend to break after about 3 years
Many thanks
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It was this one, or similar:
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/qualcast-lrs32-raker-and-scarifier---1200w-610624
The review which says the grass box falls off is correct, and mine didn't fit together properly because one of the holes on the handles into which a screw went, was too big for the screw to catch properly.
That being said, I got it at an absolute bargain price owing to a combination of offers, so it was worth it for me.
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To get rid of the moss make sure you lime the lawn. Moss is a very good indicator of acid soil conditions.
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To get rid of the moss make sure you lime the lawn. Moss is a very good indicator of acid soil conditions.
Also, moss occurs more in shady areas as I found out in one area of my lawn. I bought an electric scarifier (can't remember the brand) and - by gum - it didn't half shift a lot! I didn't bother using the catcher box because the design wasn't brilliant as the moss just went onto the front part and didn't collect in the main body of it; anyway, I would have had to empty it every few minutes! I used a tine fork to collect the stuff and put it into my re-cycling bin. As for aeration, I did one large lawn by hand using a garden fork but it wasn't really as compacted as I thought. A top-dressing of coarse grit/sand or decent sandy top soil brushed will also help, then scatter lawn seed over any bare areas. Doing it properly by hand would be very hard work, time-consuming, and wouldn't do as good a job as an electric one would. Buy or hire one.
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The lawn has a multitude of issues- compacted, neglected, and uneven!
I look at it as a project!
Did have to hold my tongue just after we moved in and a guy called by who claimed to have been treating and looking after the lawn for the previous owners- nearly pointed out it was a very bad advert for him!
Think will shop around and get the electric aerator/scarifier, then can get some sand in, and then lime followed by reseeding the bits that don't have enough grass once all the moss is out.
It was close to being ripped up and starting new, but I prefer to mend things!
Thanks for the help
:D :D