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Of all the plant , Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and bush in your landscape painting , the lawn is the most demanding characteristic , requiring constant maintenance throughout the growing season to look its best . So when , despite your good efforts , it does n’t reckon up to snuff you require to search a trivial deeper — literally .
Thatch , which comprises living and dead material , accumulates of course at the fundament of grass where the blades meet the territory . Mulched leaves and brusk supergrass clippings tend to rot chop-chop . Thatching happens when the buildup of these materials outpaces rotting and the thatch layer thickens . The thicker the stratum , the more difficult it becomes for water , nutrient , and line to get to supergrass tooth root . When this occur , the lawn suffers and it ’s time to dethatch .
Photo: iStock
1. If you think your lawn might need dethatching, look for these telltale signs of distress.
Thin steel , weak growth , and pale color aretelltale signs that your grass is struggling . To support whether Edward Thatch is the perpetrator , you ’ll have to do some digging . Use asharp trowelor spade to dig up a small section of grass .
You ’ll likely see a layer of brown matter where the grime meets the base of the grass vane . That ’s thatch , and it ’s altogether normal . But if the thatched roof layer is more than an inch thick , it ’s foreclose much - needed pee and nutrients from touch the roots .
Also , lawns with a boneheaded Teach layer might sense spongelike underfoot or be hard to fall into place with your finger as you seek to reach the soil control surface .
Photo: en.wikipedia.org
2. Dethatching a lawn only needs to be done every two to three years.
Unlike mow , lawn dethatching is not a frequent lawn chore . Instead , it ’s something you might do every two to three geezerhood , depend onthe type of grassand your grow conditions .
Somefast - growing grasseslike meadow fescue and Kentucky bluegrass are more prone to thatch than other varieties , specially when grow in compacted or heavy clay stain . Timing should coincide with your lawn ’s peak ontogenesis period and varies ground on the case of weed you have .
3. Determine which dethatching tools will work best on your property.
Thebest dethatching toolfor the job bet on the size of it of your landscape painting and how much workplace you ’re up for . Manual thatching rakes are available at most lawn and garden stores ; they ’re popular for smaller lawns , light Blackbeard , and world-wide thatch alimony through the raise time of year .
Power rakesare a go - to for larger areas of thinner thatched roof layers with grass that can withstand vivid raking , for homeowners with bounteous yards or persistant thatch issues . Before using a power rake , however , it ’s important to understand their formidable capacity !
“ great power rake are designed for large - duty thatch removal , equipped with rotating blades that sharply disregard through and remove dense layers of Blackbeard , ” says Gene Caballero , co - laminitis of GreenPal , a Tennessee - based lawn tending company .
Photo: palmettoequip.com
This means their aggressive approach to dethatching a lawn can disrupt the surrounding soil and harm nearby botany if not handled properly . Bottom line : Use them with caution !
Vertical mower are the heavy - hitters that work best for fatheaded Edward Thatch layers , and considering how infrequently they ’re used , these automobile are often best rent rather than purchased . Here is how to expend each character of dethatching dick :
4. There’s a difference between a lawn dethatcher vs. aerator, and a right time to use each.
It ’s well-off to confuse lawn dethatching andlawn aerating . Both tasks better the state of your grass by giving roots the nutrients they need to develop advantageously .
Adethatcherremoves layers of instinctive debris between the soil and base of the green goddess with a raking tool . This process is required when the Teach layer is more than ½ in chummy .
This activity demand to be done when foot dealings , cut down , tearing , and other activities make the soil to contract , obstructing nutrients from reaching the sens root word .
Photo: Walmart
5. Only dethatch a lawn when it’s healthy.
Dethatching is stressful , so doing it when yourlawnis at its impregnable during the year will aid its retrieval .
“ deflect dethatching when your lawn is stressed , during extreme heat , or when it ’s actively develop seedlings . Disturbing it during these times can cause more harm than good , ” Clayton advises .
Early spring and former fall are ideal clip for nerveless - season smoke like Kentucky Bluegrass Country and perennial ryegrass .
Your cue stick to dethatch warm - season varieties like zoysia and Bermuda forage come in natural spring or early summer after they ’ve completely “ greened up . ”
If your lawn is hibernating or stressed by drought , do n’t dethatch . you may do irreparable damage .
Tried-and-True Advice
“ Do n’t attempt to dethatch a lawn too early in the time of year , especially when the grass or soil beneath it is wet . I live in Minnesota where we get C. P. Snow well into the spring , so pasture can come along dead and ironical in May but the soil below is soaked . set about to dethatch a wet lawn will damage the pasturage . expect until you embark on to see green maturation across most of the lawn . ”
— Amber Guetebier , Contributing Writer
6. Your lawn will grow stronger without a thatch barrier.
Allowed to grow unchecked , thatched roof forms an heavy barrier that forestall water , air , and nutrient from reaching roots .
A thatch layer of an inch or more is a breeding ground for fungal disease and mosquitoes that favor humid , lactating condition where water ca n’t permeate into the dirt .
What ’s more , grass roots become snarled in thick Edward Teach instead of knitting into the soil , take a crap them vulnerable to hurt in protract menstruation of hot , dry weather .
Photo: Agtec
Dethatching , while necessary and good to the lawn , often can leave the lawn look anything but lush .
With the raw substantial estate of the realm uncommitted , grass roots will spread and fill up in the bare spots . It ’s also a great time to spreadgrass come .
7. Learning how to dethatch your lawn is easy, but actually doing it is hard work.
For small lawn , use a dethatching blood to oeuvre across the lawn using the same motion you would when scan leave . Not only will you be avail your lawn , you ’ll get a workout too .
Power rakes , usable for rent at many home melioration and hardware stores , are idealistic for larger spaces and operate like a lawn mower .
As you push it back and forward across the lawn , the pitch lift Edward Thatch and deposits it on top of the eatage . Both methods leave a significant amount of debris behind .
Photo: iStock
At this breaker point , you have a few options for how to toss away of the yard debris :
8. If your lawn is in poor condition, consider hiring a professional dethatching service.
There are time when take a professional lawn dethatching service of process come to your rest home is the good option for you and the health of your grass .
For big thatch removal jobs , thick patches of thatch , or if you simply do n’t have the fourth dimension , a service fellowship may be a great option .
you may usually expect to pay between $ 100 ( for a smaller lawn ) to $ 700 ( for a large lawn ) for 1 to 2 hours of oeuvre .
Photo: iStock
Professional lawn dethatching services have seasoned experts to graze and remove thatch from a railyard with precision . They already have all the dick they need , saving you from get to purchase new one .
Experts also know which tools the grass can withstand , and which ones are too aggressive , leaving the lawn in a better state than a first - time DIYer , who may mistakenly remove tidy sward in addition to Edward Thatch .
Not all dethatching service are adequate . Do your research to find a reputable company that has experience removing Edward Teach .
require them dubiousness about which tools they utilise , and why . If their go - to is a perpendicular mower — even for fragile patch of thatch — it ’s a mark to select another companionship .
9. Dethatching a lawn with grubs: Should you do it?
If you ’ve got agrub job , according to Clayton , “ dethatching might not be your first footmark , ” he states . “ handle the grub issue first , as dethatching a grub - infested lawn could open up it up to more damage . Once the chuck are under ascendancy , then view dethatching to help the lawn recover . ”
This means timing is crucial . call the problem when grubs are most active near the airfoil ( early fall or spring ) . A few efficient method for disembarrass your lawn of grubs :
“ Once the chuck are under ascendance , then consider dethatching to help oneself the lawn recover , ” Clayton sound out . “ think of , the goal is a healthy , thriving lawn , not just a good - search one . It ’s about creating an environs where Gunter Wilhelm Grass can grow stiff naturally . ”
10. After thatching grass, aerating and fertilizing will help keep it in optimal condition.
Once you ’ve clear away the debris , you could aerate the grunge like a shot after dethatching , if want . Aeration is well done in spring , late summertime , and even early crepuscule . You want to air out when the grass is primed for maturation .
apply a empty tine or coreaeratorto remove plugs from the basis . You need to remove cores as deeply as potential from grease that is damp but not lactating , as ironical stain forbid the tines from digging deep . Once you ’ve made a few passes of the lawn with the aerator , you could fertilize the lawn immediately .
Turf can be aerated every one to five years , depending on the lawn . Grass with leaden soil or lots of foot traffic will benefit from being aerate more oftentimes .
Is it better to dethatch or aerate ? That ’s a cock-a-hoop interrogative sentence for many homeowner , and the answer is , it depend on your particular lawn . Dethatching is only required if your pasture has Edward Thatch , but all lawns gain from aeration .
When should you not dethatch a lawn?
Dethatching a lawn should be avoided in certain circumstances to prevent unnecessary stress on the sess .
Final Thoughts
Dethatching may not be an annual chore , but it ’s still of import to ascertain your lawn each year for Teach . If you are n’t ascertain the augury that your Mary Jane is in distress and there ’s less than ½ inch of thatch , you may postpone pulling out the thatching rake .
If you ’re wondering when to dethatch a lawn , really , it ’s on an as - needed basis . The chore should be done when grass is ground for development , which is typically in the spring , tardy summertime , or early downfall ( depend on the grass form and climate ) .
Always use the appropriate tools to ensure you ’re not punctuate out your lawn more than is necessary , and fall out up dethatching with aeration when require .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
We ’ll serve you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your patio , a raised seam , or an in - ground plot out back — and select the correct plants for your grime and realm .
