Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now; there is too much of it for
hand-raking/scarifying and we can't find any powered machine on the
island to borrow or hire (either petrol or electric) or even, any
contractor who owns a machine and could be paid to do it. The last
resort, would be buying an electric one of our own.

ISTR hearing long ago that electric ones were pretty useless but that
may be out of date.

Janet, Isle of Arran

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:13:17 +0000, Janet wrote:

Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

My Mum had one, it was brilliant and lasted her lifetime.

In article MPG.2bc11169602fec77989893
@News.Individual.NET, says...

Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now; there is too much of it for
hand-raking/scarifying and we can't find any powered machine on the
island to borrow or hire (either petrol or electric) or even, any
contractor who owns a machine and could be paid to do it. The last
resort, would be buying an electric one of our own.

ISTR hearing long ago that electric ones were pretty useless but that
may be out of date.

Janet, Isle of Arran

Obviously the deep drifts of last week have
disappeared if you can see your lawn/mossbed! Glad the
weather is improving for you, and sorry I can not
help with your query, but will be looking forward to
any positive responses.

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

Janet wrote in news:MPG.2bc11169602fec77989893
@News.Individual.NET:



Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now; there is too much of it for
hand-raking/scarifying and we can't find any powered machine on the
island to borrow or hire (either petrol or electric) or even, any
contractor who owns a machine and could be paid to do it. The last
resort, would be buying an electric one of our own.

ISTR hearing long ago that electric ones were pretty useless but that
may be out of date.

Janet, Isle of Arran

If you mean electric scarifiers they work ok(ish) but not deep enough.
The thing is with them is that the tines are always breaking off.
You would, in my opinion, be better hiring a petrol one to do the job
properly and also most of them have the aeration function too, which I
think is equally important.

Baz

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:13:17 -0000, Janet wrote:

Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Dad had one, don't think it got a lot of use. I think it worked
reasonably well.

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now;

If it's that bad would removing it be a good idea? You'll be left with
bare ground... Our "lawn" is similary a high proportion of moss. This
does mean it is green at this time of year when the grass has all died
back into a flattened yellow mess. Also stops it turning into a mud bath
if you walk across it a few times.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:13:17 -0000, Janet wrote:



Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now; there is too much of it for
hand-raking/scarifying and we can't find any powered machine on the
island to borrow or hire (either petrol or electric) or even, any
contractor who owns a machine and could be paid to do it. The last
resort, would be buying an electric one of our own.

ISTR hearing long ago that electric ones were pretty useless but that
may be out of date.

Janet, Isle of Arran

I used to have one and would sum up its qualities in a single word -
none. My lawn not then being that mossy, it was intended as a pure
scarifier as I had (have) a lot of lawn. But it tore out as much good
grass as dead. Plus I have developed an aversion to most electric
tools in the garden as I don't like extension leads and nothing has a
lead long enough to go everywhere.

I now use one of these
http://www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk/mu...oval-rake-30cm
and whilst it involves a lot of hard work, I think my waistline
benefits a fair bit. I've divided the lawns into sections and don't do
everything every year.

I now have a couple of mossy areas where trees/shrubs have grown
enough to provide that bit too much shade and I tend to leave the moss
alone in those. It's green and often more resilient than grass! If you
want to remove the moss, then you need to deal with the underlying
cause of it - it's only a symptom and all the work in the world won't
keep it away if the conditions are right for it.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay
in between feeding half the UK bird population!

In article ,
says...

In article MPG.2bc11169602fec77989893
@News.Individual.NET, says...

Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now; there is too much of it for
hand-raking/scarifying and we can't find any powered machine on the
island to borrow or hire (either petrol or electric) or even, any
contractor who owns a machine and could be paid to do it. The last
resort, would be buying an electric one of our own.

ISTR hearing long ago that electric ones were pretty useless but that
may be out of date.

Janet, Isle of Arran

Obviously the deep drifts of last week have
disappeared if you can see your lawn/mossbed! Glad the
weather is improving for you, and sorry I can not
help with your query, but will be looking forward to
any positive responses.

Today has been blue sky bright sun and warm, no snow left on this
side of the island .. though the mountain top is still white and it must
still be lying in the worst hit areas.

Last night our area got taken off its generator and reconnected to the
grid, amazing given the level of repairs still outstanding. Just as well
as the island is teeming with Easter visitors.. they must be wondering
what all the fuss was about and thinking " snow? what snow?".

The first yacht of the season is in the bay, and I have just spotted a
nice surprise, half a dozen tiny orphan-baby fish sunning themselves in
the pond, secret survivors from the heron wipe-out last summer.

Janet.

In article ,
lid says...

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:13:17 -0000, Janet wrote:



Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now; there is too much of it for
hand-raking/scarifying and we can't find any powered machine on the
island to borrow or hire (either petrol or electric) or even, any
contractor who owns a machine and could be paid to do it. The last
resort, would be buying an electric one of our own.

ISTR hearing long ago that electric ones were pretty useless but that
may be out of date.

Janet, Isle of Arran

I used to have one and would sum up its qualities in a single word -
none. My lawn not then being that mossy, it was intended as a pure
scarifier as I had (have) a lot of lawn. But it tore out as much good
grass as dead. Plus I have developed an aversion to most electric
tools in the garden as I don't like extension leads and nothing has a
lead long enough to go everywhere.

I lurv my electric hedgecutter; it's light enough for me to use and I
just use an extension reel.

I now use one of these
http://www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk/mu...oval-rake-30cm
and whilst it involves a lot of hard work, I think my waistline
benefits a fair bit. I've divided the lawns into sections and don't do
everything every year.

I have a Wolf handle already. J has been out with the lighter spring-
rake today and gave up in disgust (I told him so) but that beast looks
more serious.

I now have a couple of mossy areas where trees/shrubs have grown
enough to provide that bit too much shade and I tend to leave the moss
alone in those. It's green and often more resilient than grass! If you
want to remove the moss, then you need to deal with the underlying
cause of it - it's only a symptom and all the work in the world won't
keep it away if the conditions are right for it.

The underlying causes here, are rain rain and rain (all acid, no
doubt) . While I've no objection to moss as a flattish green covering,
the problem is our moss is now so dense it never really dries out... not
much fun for sitting/kneeling/playing on.
Our predecessor here ran a lawnmower repair business; the half acre
garden was then entirely lawn and an advert for his mowers, moss and
weed free and immaculate. He achieved that by a combination of chemicals
and fanatical cutting regime neither of which are our style so it has
gone down hill since.. I'd just like to get it back to the casual level
of grassiness it was 5 years ago.

Janet

On 30/03/2013 15:13, Janet wrote:


Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now; there is too much of it for
hand-raking/scarifying and we can't find any powered machine on the
island to borrow or hire (either petrol or electric) or even, any
contractor who owns a machine and could be paid to do it. The last
resort, would be buying an electric one of our own.

ISTR hearing long ago that electric ones were pretty useless but that
may be out of date.

Janet, Isle of Arran


Why not get rid of the remaining grass, add a few fancy rocks
http://kyoto.asanoxn.com/places/higa...i/phnzj250.htm

"Janet" wrote in message
T...


Has anybody had any experience with one of those? Are they worth
using/buying?

Some of our lawn is almost pure moss now; there is too much of it for
hand-raking/scarifying and we can't find any powered machine on the
island to borrow or hire (either petrol or electric) or even, any
contractor who owns a machine and could be paid to do it. The last
resort, would be buying an electric one of our own.

ISTR hearing long ago that electric ones were pretty useless but that
may be out of date.

I borrowed an electric one a few years ago and it worked very well, better
than I expected actually. I can't remember the make of it though.
After the moss and thatch removal my lawn reverted to all grass and I used
to drive my two geese from their overnight hut to spend the day grazing my
lawn.
So, yes, I had a good experience with electric scarifiers.

Tina

In article , david@abacus-
nurseries.co.uk says...

Why not get rid of the remaining grass, add a few fancy rocks
http://kyoto.asanoxn.com/places/higa...i/phnzj250.htm

:-) I suggested that. John's answer was "Because the dog needs
somewhere to play football".

Janet

On 30/03/2013 23:02, Janet wrote:
In , david@abacus-
nurseries.co.uk says...

Why not get rid of the remaining grass, add a few fancy rocks
http://kyoto.asanoxn.com/places/higa...i/phnzj250.htm

:-) I suggested that. John's answer was "Because the dog needs
somewhere to play football".

Janet





I played football with my cat the other day. RG asked how far I managed
to kick her :~((.

I've got a fair bit of moss myself, but then we're blessedd with a line
of overhanging trees with TPO in place. I'm just going to scarify mine
with a spring-tine rake over a few days. Then I'll aerate the worst
bits and feed with pelleted chicken poop. It will improve it for a
while. With those trees in place it's never going to be used as a
billiard table. That handsome piece of weaponry Jake uses looks very
promising (just right for an itchy back!). I may just look at one next
time I'm in the garden centre.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On 31/03/2013 17:44, Spider wrote:
On 30/03/2013 23:02, Janet wrote:
In , david@abacus-
nurseries.co.uk says...

Why not get rid of the remaining grass, add a few fancy rocks
http://kyoto.asanoxn.com/places/higa...i/phnzj250.htm

:-) I suggested that. John's answer was "Because the dog needs
somewhere to play football".

Janet





I played football with my cat the other day. RG asked how far I managed
to kick her :~((.

I've got a fair bit of moss myself, but then we're blessedd with a line
of overhanging trees with TPO in place. I'm just going to scarify mine
with a spring-tine rake over a few days. Then I'll aerate the worst bits
and feed with pelleted chicken poop. It will improve it for a while.
With those trees in place it's never going to be used as a billiard
table. That handsome piece of weaponry Jake uses looks very promising
(just right for an itchy back!). I may just look at one next time I'm in
the garden centre.




Sorry to follow my own post, but thought this link might be helpful:-


http://www.alkogarden.co.uk/category...FYbHtAod_SYAFw


--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On Sun, 31 Mar 2013 17:44:47 +0100, Spider wrote:

pruned with my new Niwaki secateurs
That handsome piece of weaponry Jake uses looks very
promising (just right for an itchy back!). I may just look at one next
time I'm in the garden centre.

I should mention that Wolf also produce a wheeled version of the
scarifying rake. My mother had one as she found my timorous beastie a
bit heavy to handle.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay
in between feeding half the UK bird population!

In article ,
lid says...

On Sun, 31 Mar 2013 17:44:47 +0100, Spider wrote:

pruned with my new Niwaki secateurs
That handsome piece of weaponry Jake uses looks very
promising (just right for an itchy back!). I may just look at one next
time I'm in the garden centre.

I should mention that Wolf also produce a wheeled version of the
scarifying rake. My mother had one as she found my timorous beastie a
bit heavy to handle.

When looking up your earlier suggestion I found the wheeled version
too, wasn't sure if it would be as robust.. did your mother find it
effective? One or other is probably going to be our choice.

Janet