It takes more than regular mowing and fertilizing to keep the lawn free of moss and weeds. At least once a year, lawn thatch is attacked with a scarifier. Owners of a lawn tractor save themselves the investment in the rarely used garden tool and simply build a lawn harrow themselves. These ideas would inspire you to convert your ride-on mower into a scarifier on your own.
How can I build a scarifier for my lawn tractor myself?
To build a lawn tractor scarifier yourself, you can use a structural steel mesh with welded tines, a wooden frame with replacement springs, a lawn roller with spikes on clamps or a used seed harrow. The device should penetrate a maximum of 5 mm deep into the ground and be attachable to the lawn tractor.
Inspiration for self-made scarifiers – looking over the shoulders of tinkerers
The vernacular aptly describes scarifiers as lawn harrows. Similar to the fur curry comb for horses and pets, a scarifier combs the lawn with spikes, tines or short knives to remove moss and weeds. At the same time, the soil is scratched a few millimeters deep so that additional oxygen reaches the grass roots. When the performance spectrum of the lawn tractor is expanded to include this function, resourceful inventors have come up with the following solutions:
- Structural steel mesh with welded tines
- Expand the wooden frame or slatted frame with replacement springs from a power rake
- Lawn roller supplemented with spikes on clamps (metal rings)
- Use a used seed harrow or a disused agricultural meadow tractor as a scarifier
What all self-made models have in common is a device for attaching to the ride-on mower, such as a chain or a strong rope. To ensure that your lawn is protected, it is important to note that tines, springs or spikes cannot penetrate deeper than 5 mm into the soil. Otherwise, damage to the valuable noble grasses is inevitable.
Build in winter – use in spring
The peaceful winter time is ideal for building your own scarifier for your lawn tractor. Since work in the garden is kept to a minimum, you can browse the Internet at your leisure for cheap components and realize your construction ideas.
The home-made lawn harrow is ready just in time for the start of the gardening season, because April is the best time to clear the lawn of moss and weeds.
Tip
To achieve maximum success with your self-made scarifier, first drive the lawn tractor over the lawn without the mechanical extension. By mowing the mossy green area at the lowest level beforehand, you increase the effectiveness of the subsequent combing out of moss and weeds.
