Should I you use a "Dethatcher" on my lawn, even if I collect the
grass clipings when it is being cut, and what is the best time of the
year to do the "Dethatching.
Thanks.
It was a great answer, it gave me the information I was looking for, and then
some.
Thank you very much.
Hi tick-ga,
Contrary to popular belief thatch is not caused by leaving grass
clippings on the lawn. If you mow frequently you can leave your grass
clippings on the surface of the lawn after you mow (mow frequently so
the grass clippings are small and will decompose rapidly). Grass
clippings contain 16 essential nutrients that can be recycled back
into the lawn by leaving the clippings in place.
Thatch is the layer of built-up plant material between the green top
growth and the roots of grass plants that develops naturally as lawn
grasses grow and slough off roots, shoots and leaves. Some thatch
helps protect the roots, but excessive thatch prevents moisture,
oxygen and nutrients from penetrating the soil and can harbor disease
and insects. Regular dethatching forces buds to grow near the base of
the grass stems, preventing the grass plants from being dead
underneath and only green on top.
If your lawn is green on top, but brown underneath or if it looks dead
and scalped when you mow, it may be time to dethatch.
If your lawn is off-color and thinning, and you can't see bare ground
between the plants but instead see matted, fibrous material, it may be
time to dethatch.
If your lawn is thick, rich and deep green, and you can't see bare
ground between the plants but instead see matted, fibrous material, it
may be time to dethatch. (Sorry had a Jeff Foxworthy moment there! :)
To determine whether your lawn has too much thatch, remove a plug of
lawn, and measure the layer of thatch between the top growth and the
root zone. If it measures more than 1/2" in depth, you should dethatch
the lawn. You may need to perform this chore only once every two to
three years.
Depending on where you live you can remove thatch in summer, fall and
even when the lawn is dormant in winter. Dethatching isn't recommended
during the transition between dormancy and active growth because at
this time the energy and nutrient stores in grass roots are low. The
best time to dethatch a cool-season lawn is early fall or early
spring; for a warm-season lawn, early summer.
To remove thatch from a small lawn, use a thatching rake, which will
slice into the lawn and bring up vast amounts of dead material. Rake
in one direction to prevent damaging grass roots.
Or you can use a dethatching machine. Dethatching should not pulverize
the soil surfaces. Adjust the blades to about a quarter-inch above a
concrete surface. Make between one to five passes through your lawn,
until most thatch is removed.
Then rake it all up ƒ You will probably end up with one to three
pick-up loads of thatch from an average-size lawn.
When the task is finished, your lawn will look terrible, but don't
panic. It's supposed to look that way --- wait three or four weeks, it
will look much better.
The thatch can be composted or used for mulch if it is herbicide-free.
If you have used a weed killer or "weed and feed" treatment in the
month before dethatching, then do not use the removed thatch to make
compost or mulch. Never use thatch debris for mulch or compost if you
have used a weed killer containing clopyralid. Even after composting,
clopyralid remains active and can injure your ornamental plants
After dethatching, fertilize the lawn with a nitrogen fertilizer to
stimulate regrowth.
To slow down thatch build up avoid over-fertilizing and over-watering,
as these may contribute to thatch build-up. Products containing
natural enzymes and micronutrients can be added to the soil to aid in
the natural breakdown of thatch materials.
Thank you for using Google Answers. I hope this answers all of your
dethatching questions, if not please ask for a clarification.
~wlk115
Sources:
Lawn expert Dr. Tom Samples
University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service
Dethatching Your Lawn
http://www.diynet.com/DIY/article/0,2058,2562,00.html
Gardening Information - Oregon State University Extension Service
Tom Cook, turf grass specialist Oregon State University Extension
Service.
http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/garden/Lawn/dethatch.html
Lance Walheim, the author of Lawn Care for Dummies, dethatching tips:
http://www.diynet.com/DIY/article/0,2058,4997,00.html
Lawnboy Lawncare
dethatching
http://www.lawnboy.com/lawncare/dethatch.htm
fertilizing
http://www.lawnboy.com/lawncare/fert.htm
watering
http://www.lawnboy.com/lawncare/water.htm
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