it's a good idea - but best done in autumn, not spring. Makes the lawn look a right mess afterwards, and if done in September/early October, it has time to sit and recover when you're not using it.

Did mine in autumn and just done it again this week. Bamboo is right, it doesn't look great for a while, but it seems to help - also the birds love it, especially the woodpecker, as they seem to find all kinds of goodies that were hidden before.

We did the same,Ginellie,in autumn,and this week as well.So much dead thatch,and it just looks like its been cut,really,and not too unsightly. Our birds love it too,so much nesting material..

If you haven't done it before you will be amazed at how much rubbish comes out.

I do mine every spring and then again mid summer and feed it after. I never do it in the autumn. It works for me.

If you scarify now and we have a dry spring/summer like last year it can look a real mess for ages .. unless you regularly water it ( depends how hard you scarify) I agree with Bamboo. Leave it until early to mid september.

I dont see the point in leaving a lot of dead rubbish in a lawn till the autumn, I find mine recovers very quickly as its the growing season when I do it. In the autumn the grass is not growing and scarifing may create an ugly looking lawn all winter.

"I find mine recovers very quickly as its the growing season when I do it."

I guess it depends how heavily you scarify it and what the weather is like afterwards.

I was requested to do a thorough scarification of a customers lawn in April last years and because it was subsequently dry it took months to recover.

I did it again in September and it looked great within 2 weeks.

Most books suggest Autumn is the best time for scarification but if spring works for you great.

I believe in it and do it regularly because it improves the health and appearance no end.

Agree with Anchorman - autumn is usually reliably damp, so the lawn recovers better and more quickly.