I treated my mossy lawn with iron sulfate, mowed it short, and then waited for the moss to die off in the last part of this miniseries. This means I’m ready for the most dramatic stage of my lawn renovation process: scarifying.
If you haven’t heard of scarification, it’s a way to get rid of the top layer of moss and thatch that covers the soil. However, along with the moss, you’re likely to take the grass with it.
This article explores what happened when I scarified my lawn for the first time. And from a decimated pile of earth, how I prepared the soil for new life!.
Scarifying a lawn can leave it looking pretty rough, with large bare patches of soil showing through. But with some tlc, a scarified lawn will bounce back greener and healthier than ever. Here’s what to expect from a scarified lawn, both immediately after and months later, along with tips to help it recover beautifully.
What Does a Lawn Look Like Right After Scarifying?
Immediately after scarifying, a lawn will appear quite worn and ragged. Here’s a typical scarified lawn before and after the initial scarifying process
- Large areas of bare soil and patchy grass
- Clumps of dead grass, thatch, moss, and weeds
- Rutted, uneven soil surface
- Grass blades look chopped up and shredded
- Dirt and debris scattered across the lawn
- Overall sparse, rough appearance
This damaged look is normal and even expected right after aggressive raking and tearing up of the top growth and soil surface. It can be alarming to see if you’re not prepared for it!
Why Does Scarifying Damage the Lawn?
Scarifying uses rakes or mechanical tools to scratch up and tear out the top layer of the lawn. This process removes:
- Thatch – The dense, matted layer of stems and roots under the grass
- Moss – Green, fuzzy growth that competes with grass
- Weeds – Unwanted plants like dandelions and clover
- Dead material – Old mulch, fallen leaves, grass clippings
In the process, scarifying also rips up live grass plants, leaving bare patches of exposed soil. It essentially damages the lawn on purpose to improve growing conditions long term
When Does the Lawn Start to Recover?
With proper care, a scarified lawn will show signs of recovery and filling in within 4-6 weeks. But the full transformation back to lush healthy grass can take 2-3 months.
Overseeding and fertilizing after scarifying helps speed the recovery process. Cooler weather and frequent rain slow regrowth.
Here is what you can expect at different time periods:
-
1 week after – Germination of new grass seeds begins. Remaining grass starts to grow taller.
-
2-3 weeks after – New seedlings establish roots and begin filling bare patches. Green color starts returning.
-
1 month after – Grass is visibly thicker and covers most soil. Only small bare spots remain.
-
2 months after – Lawn looks almost completely revived with few bare areas left. Ready to mow again.
-
3 months after – Scarified patches fully blended into surrounding grass. Lawn looks cohesive.
How to Care for a Scarified Lawn and Restore It
Caring for a scarified lawn properly is key to bringing it back to its former glory. Follow these tips:
-
Remove weeds – Dig out roots to prevent regrowth.
-
Clear away dead moss – Rake up and dispose of debris.
-
Lightly rake bare areas – Loosen soil for seeding.
-
Add topsoil to low spots – Levels the surface.
-
Overseed bare patches – Match grass type.
-
Fertilize new seedlings – Boosts growth.
-
Water daily – Keep soil moist for seed germination.
-
Allow grass to grow taller – At least 2.5 inches before mowing.
-
Adjust mower height – Raise it up higher than normal.
-
Aerate compacted areas – Improves drainage.
With some work, your scarified lawn will transform back into a lush, vibrant green carpet again.
Scarified Lawn Before and After Photos
Seeing photos of lawns before and after scarifying provides a better idea of what to expect.
Here is a sequence of photos showing a lawn’s progression after scarifying over several months:
Right After Scarifying
This lawn shows the typical damage immediately after scarifying – exposed soil, bare patches, and shredded grass blades:
[photo 1]
2 Weeks After Scarifying
New grass is sprouting in bare areas but most of the soil is still exposed. Overall the lawn appears thin and patchy:
[photo 2]
1 Month After Scarifying
The new seedlings have grown and are slowly filling in the bare spots. The lawn looks much thicker but still has sparse patches:
[photo 3]
2 Months After Scarifying
Two months later, the scarified patches are mostly filled in with grass. The lawn looks full and cohesive. Only small bare areas remain:
[photo 4]
4 Months After Scarifying
By 4 months, the lawn has completely transformed. No more bare soil is visible. It appears lush, green, and healthier than before scarifying:
[photo 5]
Is Scarifying Worth the Recovery Time?
Seeing a scarified lawn before and after may make you hesitant to try scarifying. But the process provides valuable long term benefits that make it well worth the temporary damage.
Scarifying improves lawn health by:
- Removing thick layers of thatch
- Eliminating weeds and moss
- Aerating compacted soil
- Allowing better water and nutrient absorption
So while your lawn may look scary post-scarification, have faith that it will bounce back better than ever with a little care and patience. The before and after results are dramatic and rewarding.
Lawn renovation: Why should I scarify?
The week before, I used MOOWY’s 2-in-1 Moss Killer and Fertilizer on the lawn. It made the grass a deeper green color and killed the moss on top of it. Dead grass, dead moss.
This picture shows that the moss under the grass line has turned black and is now easy to pull up.
You’ll also notice the densely-packed nature of the lawn. With hardly any visible soil, the thatch layer is suffocating the roots of my grass plants.
Scarifying, as you’ll see, clears the thatch layer (and literally everything else!). However, it also tears the grass plants in the process, leaving a bit of a mess.
But this harsh treatment of your lawn will pay off: scarifying sets off the survival mode in your grass plants, which speeds up recovery by releasing a strong growth hormone.
Scarification: choosing the correct blade height
Since I had never scarified my lawn or used a scarifying machine before, I thought it would be best to be careful. So, I ran my scarifier on the highest setting.
However, that didn’t work. Since it didn’t lift much, I slowly lowered the scarifying blades to compare the results of each.
I finally gave up and set it to the lowest setting. With a lawn this bad, I had to do something pretty drastic.
I won’t have to use the blades so low for scarification in the future because I’ll have taken care of the main moss problem. But this time, it was a bit of an emergency! After the first run of the scarifier.
What do I do after I have scarified my lawn
FAQ
How long does it take for a lawn to recover from scarification?
What does grass look like after scarifying?
What month is best to scarify a lawn?
When should I scarify my lawn?
If you do decide to Scarify your lawn periodically you need to wait at least 6 months before doing so again because the turf has been shown, to be much more resistant after this adaptation time period. We recommend scarifying your lawn annually in the spring when the lawn will be growing strongly enough to recover.
What is scarifying a lawn?
Scarifying, also known as lawn dethatching, is a process that involves mechanically removing layers of thatch, moss, and other organic debris from the surface of a lawn. This process offers several benefits: Improved Soil Aeration: Scarifying breaks up compacted soil, allowing for better air circulation.
What happens if you scarify or raked your lawn?
When you’ve scarified or raked, you’ll less grass in your lawn. If you’ve had a moss or thatch problem then chances are you’ll have some bare patches. You might even have more soil than grass. It’s really important to overseed to replace lost grass.
How long does it take 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.
How do you know if a lawn has been scarified?
When it comes to lawn scarification, the proof is in the pudding. On the left, you can see the lawn before it was scarified. It’s patchy, uneven in colour and quite dull. On the right, you can see the lawn after it’s been scarified. The lawn is much healthier, and the colour is brighter and more even!
Why should you scarify your lawn?
By removing this layer, you reduce the risk of fungal diseases and pest infestations. Stimulates Grass Growth: The process of scarifying can invigorate your lawn, encouraging the growth of new grass shoots and leading to a denser, greener lawn. Reduces Weed and Moss Growth: Scarifying can help control the growth of weeds and moss.