The clever way to scarify
It's the time of year when a little warmth, sun and rain can make it a good time to scarify, with fresh grass ready to grow through.
The build-up of living and dead grass stems, roots, rhizomes and stolons that create thatch will be inhibiting the ability of the turf to absorb water, nutrients and air. Hitch a Wessex ProLine STC scarifier collector to a compact tractor and you'll make short work of dealing with thatch, moss and the debris scarifying creates on the grass. D
esigned for the maintenance of sports pitches, golf courses, amenity turf and large gardens, the STC is actually three machines in one. In scarifying mode the 2mm verti-cutting knives make a clean cut through the turf at approximately 30mm centres, providing a professional scarifying operation.
Two rows of draft paddles create suction for collecting the grass and leaving the area clear of debris. The clever part is in the option change kits which allow you to quickly turn your scarifier collector into a flail mower and collector, simply by changing to the large diameter steel drum rotor with four rows of closely spaced flails.
Because the STC has no narrow throat, as do many collectors, long or short grass will be collected efficiently without blocking, even in wet conditions, which makes it ideal for long grass applications such as the end of season clearance of golf course rough. For those who prefer to scarify in autumn, or if weather conditions have been such that it's a better time to do it, then it's an easy job to switch back to scarifier mode.
Equally, the third option is a simple changeover to fit the STC with its brush rotor for lifting autumn leaves, grass clippings and litter effortlessly into the hopper. The ProLine STC comes in 1.2m and 1.8m working widths and is semi-mounted to the tractor to allow the brush to follow the ground contours in work, and then be lifted out of work for transport. Three machines in one is a clever all year round solution for the professional groundsman. Broadwood International 01420 478111 www.broadwoodintl.co.uk