Not sure which rake is right for your yard? We've got you covered. 

Here we take you through five rake styles, when to use them and how their designs differ. 

 

Bow Rake

Let's start with the bow rake or garden rake. This is probably the most common rake found in a gardener's sheds. It's heavy duty, metal construction allows you to level out soil, sand, gravel or mulch quickly and easily. The design of a bow rake is rigid and solid, with larger gaps between the tines, making it easier to unclump hard soil or compacted garden beds. You can also use it to drag out larger clumps and remove rocks from the dirt. 

 

Scarifying Rake

Over time, organic debris starts to build up on an unkept lawn, this is called thatch. While a thin layer of thatch is benefitial to your lawn and can act as a natural mulch to protect the grass, thick layers of thatch can cause problems. When this layer becomes too thick, it can prevent the root systems from absorbing moisture, nutrients and sunlight it needs to thrive. It's important to keep an eye on this and break up that layer every so often. This is where the dethatching or scarifying rake comes in handy. There are many different designs to choose from, some even have wheels to make this process easier! Use the scarifying rake to break up debris and remove it from the lawn. Designed with sharp metal blades, this rake will cut through the tough built up clumps with ease. Leaving your lawn ready to absorb nutrients and water easily.

Lawn Rake

A lawn rake is flexible, yet strong. Made of metal and designed in a fan shape, this sturdy rake is great for moving debris, gravel, sand and soil. This is a multipurpose rake you can use on many jobs around the garden, from raking leaves to removing thatch or leveling a large area to prepare for planting. 

 

Leaf Rake

Designed specifically as named, to rake leaves. The leaf rake is light weight, sturdy, and plastic. Unlike a metal lawn rake, the leaf rake has thicker tines that prevent leaves from building up on them. Leaf rakes come in a variety of sizes and shapes and are even designed to make scopping or transporting leaves easy and efficient! If your yard is full of beautiful leafy autumn colours, chances are you'll need one of these in yoru arsenal. 

 

Hand Rake

When you're working in a tight space, such as a pot or veggie patch, hand tools are a great option. There are many different styles of hand rake similar to those we've discussed so far. The only difference is the length and size. So when you need to weed the garden bed, break up soil or remove leaves from a smaller space, these are the tools for you.