We get a lot of requests for dethatching here at ProLawns and we WON’T do it. Here’s why:
Should I dethatch with a dethatching machine?
(From Cornell University Extension Education Center)
NO! It rips up the turf root system which looks like you are doing a great job but in reality you are stressing the turf and bringing weed seeds like crabgrass and annual bluegrass to the surface, especially in the spring. When you dethatch in spring you are ripping up the root system just before the grass goes into its most stressful season.
If you must use the machine [to de-thatch], and we wish you would not, the fall is a better time. Try core aeration and changing the pH instead of a dethatching machine.
What is the best way to combat thatch?
Core aerate the turf because this brings soil microbes into contact with the thatch layer and pokes holes in the thatch for more efficient air and moisture exchange which also helps microbes to do their work of breaking down thatch.
What is thatch?
Thatch is a build up of dead and dying roots that is being manufactured more qickly than it can be broken down.
Where does thatch begin?
Just about one quarter inch below the swollen base of the turf grass blades. How much thatch is too much thatch?
More than one half inch is too much. Less than that is fine because it acts like a carpet pad—a cushion for the crown of the turf grass plants.
Why would I have a build up of thatch?
An acidic pH prevents microbes from working effectively to break down the thatch layer. The first thing your should check when you have a thatch build up is the pH.
What is the best way to combat thatch?
Core aerate the turf because this brings soil microbes into contact with the thatch layer and pokes holes in the thatch for more efficient air and moisture exchange which also helps microbes to do their work of breaking down thatch.
Shouldn’t I dethatch with a dethatching machine?
NO! It rips up the turf root system which looks like you are doing a great job but in reality you are stressing the turf and bringing weed seeds like crabgrass and annual bluegrass to the surface, especially in the spring. When you dethatch in spring you are ripping up the root system just before the grass goes into its most stressful season.
If you must use the machine, and we wish you would not, the fall is a better time. Try core aeration and changing the pH instead of a dethatching machine.
Will raking dethatch the turf?
No, but it will not usually harm it either. When you rake you are mostly pulling out dead grass leaves rather than roots or thatch.
