Then rent a vertical mower or core aerator from your local hardware store.
What does dethatching your yard do.
It moderates the temperature of the soil and helps it retain moisture.
We provide a detailed guide on the best way to dethatch your lawn.
When you dethatch you actually cut through the thatch with knife like blades and then removing the debris.
When you ve got the machine home run it over your whole lawn going north to south then run it again going east to west to break up all the thatch.
What does a lawn dethatcher do.
Rake up the loosened thatch and remove it from the lawn.
Too much thatch can stifle new growth and cause bare patches to appear.
Using the same motion you would to rake leaves the short tines and curved blades of a dethatching rake such as this ames model available on amazon can dig into your lawn to.
After dethatching seed the lawn and consider topdressing.
You can buy what s called a thatching rake which has knifelike blades rather than normal tines.
Such a thatch layer functions as if it were a mulch.
A thatch layer of 1 2 inch can work hand in hand with these soil requirements.
Thatch is a matted layer of grass stems roots stolons rhizomes and other organic debris that builds up faster than it can decompose.
As microbes in the soil break it down nutrients are released into the soil.
Dethatching your lawn improves its overall health.
By learning why when and how to dethatch you can keep your thick lush grass on track.
After dethatching your lawn will look ragged.
Occasionally thatch does build up to excessive levels and your lawn will need some help in removing it.
Thatch accumulates immediately below the green surface of the lawn on top of the soil at the base of blades.
You vigorously rake.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional it s a disruptive process to say the least and your lawn is going to need a band aid and some time to heal.
Dealing with excess thatch.
Healthy dense turfgrass is achieved and maintained through appropriate species and cultivar selection excellent site preparation and proper maintenance practices.
Before you dethatch your lawn mow it to about an inch.
It is a combinglike operation in which you comb out the debris.
Once your lawn has been aerated it is sensible to dethatch your lawn.
Do not fertilize before dethatching.
When to dethatch your lawn.
The first thing to do after dethatching is to remove the piles of thatch from your yard.
Fertilize your lawn after dethatching to help the lawn recover.
When you re done you can use a rake and wheelbarrow to clean.