Dethatching
and Aerating Lawns
Dethatching
and Aerating
Thatch
buildup and soil
compaction are conditions that cause lawns to struggle. When severe,
they can
ruin a lawn. Luckily, both problems can be resolved. Simply dethatching
or
aerating the lawn will provide an immediate fix, but it is also
important to
find out what the contributing factors are and make some changes so
that the
solution will be long-term, not just temporary.
All
about Thatch
Thatch
is a layer of
debris, made up mostly of grass clippings, that accumulates above the
soil and
below the blades of grass. This isn't just a layer of freshly cut grass
clippings. To see it clearly, simply dig out a scoop of your lawn
(don't worry,
you can put it right back when you're done) and look at it from the
side. You
should be able to identify the soil, the thatch and the top growth of
the lawn
grasses. The thatch layer will look like a tightly knit layer of brown
debris.
While thatch is primarily composed of cut grass blades, it also
contains the
bits and pieces of leaves and twigs that have fallen onto the lawn. In
a
healthy lawn, the thatch layer will decay naturally, providing
nutrients for
the lawn. A healthy lawn will have a layer of thatch about a half inch
thick.
Having no thatch layer isn't the goal either, because that can open the
lawn to
drought and heat stress. Thatch not only provides nutrients, it also
helps
shade and protect the crowns of the grass plants and helps conserve
moisture.
Sometimes
the lawn can have too much thatch. Excessive thatch happens when the
lawn is
fertilized too often, the grass clippings are too long, or there aren't
enough
of the microorganisms that digest the thatch present. Most often, it is
a
combination of these factors. When the thatch layer is too deep (in
excess of a
half inch), the lawn will begin to thin. Lawns with heavy thatch tend
to have a
shallow root system, making it harder to maintain the grass. Thatch can
keep
water, air and nutrients from getting to the roots. Also, lawns with
excessive
thatch are more likely to have problems with diseases.
All
about Dethatching
Dethatching
removes
excess thatch. It is best to dethatch in
spring or early fall. If a severe thatch problem is discovered in
spring, you
are faced with deciding if more damage will be done by dethatching in
spring or
by leaving the thatch on the lawn for the summer. When it is time
to
dethatch, mowing the lawn fairly low just before starting will make the
job
easier. If you are up to it, in small areas remove thatch by raking
back and
forth. Hand raking is a backbreaking way of removing thatch from any
but the
smallest areas. There are several better ways to accomplish this task.
If the
thatch isn't so severe that it is smothering the crowns of the grass
plants
(over an inch deep), consider using a core aerator to solve the
problem. The
cores of soil will pull up the microorganisms needed to digest excess
thatch
naturally, turning it into nutrients for the lawn. For a more
serious thatch
problem, there are mechanical de-thatchers.
All
about Soil Compaction
Plant roots need air in the soil and good drainage. In their absence,
root
systems will be shallow and weak. In lawns, signs of compacted soil
include
poor drainage (puddling), excessive weeds despite the use of good weed
controls
and poor grass growth despite good maintenance practices. When the soil
is
compacted, nutrients and water are slow to get to the roots, further
weakening
the plants. Soil compaction is a problem in high traffic areas or where
heavy
equipment has been used for construction, grading or even mowing. There
are
fancy pieces of equipment that can actually measure soil compaction,
but that
isn't really necessary for the homeowner. If you don't know if your
soil is
compacted, you can check it out yourself. Take a sharp shovel into the
lawn and
try to dig out a scoop of turf and the underlying soil. If it isn't a
struggle
to sink the shovel in at least half way, your soil isn't too compacted.
Look at
the sample you removed. There are probably lots of grass roots that
extend 4-6
inches below the surface. You will be able to see spaces in the soil
between
the particles and it will crumble fairly easily. If you have to jump up
and
down on the shovel to get it into the soil, you have a problem! Look at
the
sample you removed. There probably won't be a deep, extensive root
system for
the grass. It will also look fairly solid and will be hard to break up.
This
soil needs aeration.
Contact us now
for a free estimate on De-thatching your lawn!
Customer
Testimonials
This company knows everything about your lawn. They will give you
suggestions to make your lawn better, and that does NOT mean they try
and sell you products and services. Absolutley wonderful... - Yahoo!
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