What is a lawn rake used for?

3rd March 2020

What is a lawn rake used for?


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		Lawn rakes can be used for various gardening tasks.

		Gathering leaves
		Lawn rakes can be used in the same way as leaf rakes to gather fallen leaves. They may not be as effective because the spiky metal tines can get clogged with leaves easily. Lawn rakes with tines that are close together will be the most effective at gathering leaves. For more information see: How to rake leaves.

		Gathering grass clipping and other lightweight garden debris
		Grass clippings left from mowing lawns can look untidy. Lawn rakes can be used to gather clippings and other lightweight materials which build up on gardens. A good quality lawn rake can be used to move and level light surface materials such as bark and sand.

		Removing thatch and moss from lawns
		If layers of thatch or moss build up on lawns they can damage the grass. Removing them is usually called scarifying, thatching or de-thatching. Lawn rakes can be used to pull up moss and thatch from grassy areas as long as it’s no thicker than about 25mm (1″). Lawn rakes will not be able to remove thatch and moss as quickly as a thatch rake, but they are usually less expensive.

		Removing moss from paths and borders
		Moss can also build up on paths and in borders of gardens. Lawn rakes can be used to scratch the moss off these surfaces. However, if the tines are not very strong, using them on hard surfaces like concrete, or where there are stones, might damage the rake.

		Disturbing old plant roots and scratching soil surfaces
		A good quality lawn rake should be strong enough to disrupt the soil’s surface and bring up the roots of old plants and loosely rooted weeds. As long as the soil is not too compacted, the tines can dig a few centimetres into the soil’s surface and turn it. For scratching compacted soil or removing deeper set roots, you’ll need to use a stronger rake, such as a garden rake.

		Spreading topsoil and fertiliser
		Small piles of topsoil or fertiliser can be poured onto lawns or flower beds and a lawn rake used to spread it evenly over surfaces. However, lawn rakes will usually not be suitable for spreading materials over large areas as the tines are thin and quite widely spaced.

		Removing pond weed
		If a lawn rake is good quality, with strong tines, it can be used in ponds to fish out weeds and unwanted plant materials. However, not all lawn rakes will be strong enough to hold wet weeds, which can be heavy, so it’s important to check the specifications of individual rakes. There are lake rakes which are specifically designed to remove pond weeds and other aquatic debris.