This advice might come a little late in the season to be of any use to you this year but it can be applied as common sense to any machine that you may hire in to carry out specific chores in the garden.
Let me give you a little background on the stimulus for the post in the first place. I have just read 'My lawn scarifying hell' by Ursula Buchan on the Telegraph site.
'Bloody amateur' was the first thought that came into my head - how can she blame the hire shop for her lack of research into scarifying or the machinery that carries out the task?
"By the end of a long and exhausting morning, I had blisters on my hands and black loathing in my heart for the people who had so cavalierly leased this machine to me, without a thought as to whether I was strong enough to use it."
My first tip would be to wear gloves and avoid blisters. Secondly, compile a list of questions to ask the hire shop. They cannot be blamed for hiring you 'the wrong' machine if you have asked for a scarifier - it is you that must decide what is 'the right' machine and then satisfy yourself that the hire shop can cater for your needs.
A check list for scarifying
Treat Moss - if your lawn has been neglected for some time and has a large build-up of thatch and moss then it is worth applying sulphate of iron a couple of weeks before scarifying. Moss contains an awful lot of water - the iron will shrivel up the moss as it dries up meaning that the bulk of waste will be reduced enormously.
Measure your lawn - this is essential when choosing the right machine. There is nothing worse that trying to do too much with a machine that is just not up to the job.
Access - Make a note of any obstacles that you may encounter when wheeling the machine through to the rear garden and there is sufficient accessibility.
Steps are particularly difficult and it may be necessary to either provide a couple of boards as run-ups or have a second person on hand to help lift the machine.
Whatever you do, don't be impatient and bump the machine down the steps otherwise you can be looking at ugly gouges and chips on the lip of the step or you could bend or damage the tines; this could lead to potential safety issues if the tines are weakened or great big gouges being taken out of the surface of your lawn.
Self-propelled versus push - I don't think this needs much of an explanation. The larger the lawn surface the more mechanical help you will need. Even us pro's can find it a challenge pushing a machine up and down all day.
Using a self-propelled machine helps to conserve energy and lets you concentrate on the job rather than putting all the physical and mental effort into the machine. Push scarifiers are OK for small gardens.
Reel or cylinder - Scarifiers that have a reel that is mid-mounted between front and back wheels are great for lawns that have a big build-up of thatch. They can also be used on well tended lawns but to get the best results for regular maintenance, look out for a front mounted or cassette type scarifier.
Contra-rotating - An efficient scarifier will have contra-rotating tines or blades. They work by tearing into the thatch in the opposite direction to the way the machine is travelling, lifting any lateral growth.
Avoid using a machine that works in the same direction as the wheels. It might be easier to push but often the forward travel speed will literally mean you 'skip' past all of the waste and leave lots behind.
Transport - Ursula didn't give a thought to the size of the machine nor how it was going to be transported. Hire shops will deliver and collect for a relatively small amount. This could save your back and help protect your car too.
Professional - The most valuable tip I can give is to employ a professional. Do some research and make sure you find someone who is capable of understanding what your lawn needs.
Too many garden magazines and books give out the impression that lawn scarifying is a doddle and any Tom, Dick or Ursula can do it and have a perfect lawn the following year. Well don't you believe it - more tips on scarifying here.
Waste - if your lawn is in a poor condition then you are going to get a lot of waste. Try to think environmentally about how you dispose of the waste. If you have a large garden then put it to one side to break down naturally. Try to avoid putting it into a skip if you are not sure of its destination - land-fill is not the right form of disposal.
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