Scarafier or a Lawn Rake

Seve OB

I don't have a huge garden, maybe 75msq between front and back but I get a lot of moss in it. More so in the back where it gets lots of shade. Last year i did a major job (well major for me anyway) I rented a petrol scarafier and gave it socks. took loads of crap out of the garden and it kinda levelled it out a bit. i also got one of these and filled the holes with sand in the really bad mossy spots. Result is that the Garden is a lot better now, but still a bit of moss in it. I know I need to rake it and scarify it a couple of times a year. I'm good at throwing down some of this a couple of times a year, but am not always committed to raking it out after.
Anyway I threw down some of the gouldings last week and I got stuck into the smaller front lawn today with a wire rake and I was bollixed after :eek: I raked one way only. Really had no energy to go across after. Took a good bit of moss and thatch off it and more importantly I decided I wasn't doing that again...... :rolleyes: I will of course do it, but I'm looking to make it easier. Don't plan on renting big machines like I did before, but I was thinking on getting a smaller electric machine myself and doing it more regular. But what to get....

Firstly, I'm not sure if I should be getting a rake or a scarafier? Any tips or advice.

And before I go spending big coin on an electric yoke, maybe something like this lad is all I need?

Then when it comes to electric...... I see you can get electric rakes and electric scarifiers. Whats the difference? I presume a scarafier is much better and would do both jobs whereas if I just got a rake, I would still need to scarify it after?

I also see there are some versions with interchangeable cartridges.

I see lidl and co do their own versions? Can they be any good? I would rather spend 3 times the money on a decent machine than something that is a pile of junk.

Am looking at the Bosch AVR1100. More expensive than most, but a good quality brand.... and it looks like it folds away really neat

Opinions and advice grateful please

Seve OB

Oh yea, and then there is these types of things I seen to attach to my petrol lawn mower. Look pretty cheap to me.... would they be any good at all?

lazybones32

I'd recommend a scarifier. I've used professional petrol machines and the lidl version that will be in the shop soon. Both did what they were supposed to.

A man I know who takes great pride in his lawn uses a lidl/aldi version and he says it works fine. He uses it 2-3 times a year and he has it a few years They seem to cover their electrical products with a decent warranty, so for a smaller lawn you could buy one of their products. Forget about the scarifier you pull behind you...maybe there's a knack to doing it correctly but I think they're more effort than they're worth.

Haven't used Bosch but there is a German brand that has excellent customer reviews and doesn't cost a lot. I've it bookmarked on some computer.

Is there anything you can do to allow more light fall on the back lawn?

Seve OB

lazybones32 wrote: »

Is there anything you can do to allow more light fall on the back lawn?

sure, i could take the roof off my house :D

cheers for the info. appreciate if you can let me know about the other german brand you speak of

Water John

Used a hand scarifier form Aldi on the back lawn. A bit of sweat, not work for a hot day. Much better than a rake, I'd say. Used a barrow to stitch in some lawn seed and tamped down with the back of the shovel.
Lawn had become scraggy. Lawn seed doesn't tiller as field grass seed does.
If you pull out crap and leave gaps, fill the gaps with lawn seed.
No knowledge on electric or petrol models, but always interested in some thing that makes life easier.

sheesh

I have hired a petrol driven scarifer great yolk altogether so I would recommend that. you be shocked how much you will get out of it

Seve OB

Pulled the trigger on the Bosch avr 1100 there on Amazon for £135. Searched all the big shops in Dublin today and couldn't find much on offer at all.
Works out a bit more expensive than the qualcast duo machine which I could have got in Argos for about €100, but figured it was worth it for a better brand, a dedicated machine, and the neatness of how she folds up for storage.
Prime member, says I should have it by Wednesday........ Haha...... I'll be delighted if I get it by the weekend, but expect it to arrive next week sometime.