Scarifying or aerating a robot-mown lawn: locate the wires first

Before putting a scarifier or aerator into a robot-mown lawn, establish what lies in the working area. The lawn-maintenance plan and mower installation need to be considered together, particularly where wires or cables are present.

The RHS autumn lawn care advice says scarifying and aerating are best done in September or October, that aerating is needed only every two to three years, and that not every task is needed every year. So plan the work around where the wire runs, and do only what your lawn needs.

Decide whether the lawn needs the work

RHS: autumn lawn care explains scarifying as removing thatch and describes aeration and other autumn tasks. It notes that every task is not needed every year. Choose work according to the lawn's condition rather than booking a full treatment because the calendar says autumn.

Seek appropriate horticultural advice where the problem is unclear. A mower leaving a poor finish does not by itself establish that scarifying is the right treatment.

Identify the installation before work begins

Collect the installation drawing, exact mower model and documentation for boundary, guide, power and navigation equipment. Husqvarna UK: robotic mower FAQ describes different installation arrangements within its range; use the actual model's instructions and installer advice for your garden.

For a wired system, ask the installer to identify the relevant routes. Do not assume the cable is buried to a particular depth or that a known depth creates a universal safe scarifying setting. Locations can be uncertain after repairs and garden alterations.

For a wire-free mower, still check the dock's supply and any other buried services. Wire-free describes a navigation arrangement, not a survey of everything beneath the turf.

Brief the contractor specifically

Send the installation information with the lawn-work request. Ask who confirms the working method, permitted areas and protection of equipment before machinery arrives.

If routes cannot be established, leave the affected area out of the proposed work until assessed. Do not probe, cut or disconnect unfamiliar services yourself to find them. Keep uncertainties on the job sheet instead of relying on a verbal warning that there might be a wire somewhere.

Pause and resume deliberately

Stop the mower schedule and isolate equipment as its instructions require before people work on the lawn. Agree who controls restarting, particularly if another household member can enable the schedule remotely.

Ask the lawn professional what recovery conditions are needed for the work actually done. Read the mower instructions and obtain installer advice about any changes to boundary position, ground level or dock access.

Record alterations

Keep an updated drawing if cables, beds or routes move. Record repairs and unresolved installation faults before returning to ordinary operation.

The useful outcome is a lawn-treatment brief that accounts for the installed system. A pause button can prevent an automatic mowing session; it cannot establish the location of buried equipment or make an incompatible renovation method suitable.

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