When should I Dethatch in Illinois? The lawn should be dethatched when it is actively growing and the soil is moderately moist. The best time of year for dethatching is the same as for aerating: early spring or early fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring through early summer (after the second mowing) for warm-season grasses.
When is the best time to dethatch?
1 The Best Time to Dethatch. The period of active growth and warming temperatures of spring are ideal for dethatching, but exactly when in spring depends on the type of turf ... 2 Assessing Your Thatch Layer. To determine if your lawn has an excessive amount of thatch, look at, feel, and even measure the thatch layer. 3 Dethatching Equipment. ...
When should I dethatch my Kentucky bluegrass?
Dethatch cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, in late summer or early fall. Dethatch warm-season grasses, such as Bermudagrass or Zoysia grass, after spring green-up, as they enter early summer's peak growth. Never dethatch when your lawn is dormant or stressed; you can damage it beyond recovery.
When should I dethatch my lawn in Michigan?
The best time to dethatch your lawn is when it’s actively growing and the soil is moderately moist. For cool-season grasses, that’s early spring or early fall. For warm-season grasses, dethatch in late spring through early summer (after the second mowing). That's when your grass is growing most vigorously.
How do you get rid of thatch after dethatching?
Use a leaf rake to get rid of the thatch you loosened up. If bare spots were created by dethatching, use a patching product, like Scotts® EZ Seed®, to repair them. Now you can feed the rest of your grass.
When should you dethatch your lawn in the Midwest?
The two types of grasses have different growth patterns. You want to dethatch when they're in active growth spurts. Cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, can be dethatched in the spring, or late summer spring and early fall, matching their most-active growth seasons.
When should you dethatch your lawn in Chicago?
The best time to aerate cool-season grasses, like Kentucky bluegrass, which make up most Chicago area lawns, is in spring and fall when the grasses are actively growing. Weather conditions are different from year to year, but April to May, and September to October are generally good months to schedule aeration.
What is the best time to dethatch a yard?
For northern grass the best time to dethatch your entire lawn is in late summer to early fall when the grass is actively growing. For southern grasses, dethatch in late spring. In early spring, and for small areas, use a thatching rake, which is a sharp-tined rake that rips the thatch out of the lawn.
How do you know when to dethatch?
If your thatch is 1–2 inches or more, you've probably already seen signs of poor grass color and weak, thin growth. Once you've confirmed your thatch exceeds the healthy mark, the time for dethatching has come.
How often should I aerate my lawn in Illinois?
once a yearA lawn should be aerated once a year, either in the fall or in the spring.
Should I aerate or dethatch first?
It is best to dethatch first before aerating your lawn. Both dethatching and aerating your lawn will improve air, nutrient, and water penetration into the root zone of your grass. Thatch is the main problem these two processes address.
Should I mow my lawn before dethatching?
A dethatcher works best when the lawn is lightly moist — not too wet or too dry. Here's how to do it: Mow the lawn a little lower than normal right before you dethatch. Make at least two passes over the lawn with the dethatcher to get all the thatch.
Can dethatching hurt your lawn?
Dethatching Damage Spring dethatching hits a lawn hard when it is already in a precarious condition. Secondly, dethatching in the spring with power equipment can bring up crabgrass and other noxious weed seeds, setting your lawn up for a future infestation.
Should you seed after dethatching?
After dethatching, thatch should be removed and put in the compost pile. If you do not already have a compost pile, then you should seriously consider adding one. After this has been done, high-quality grass seed.
Do you need to rake after dethatching?
After you finish dethatching, it is important to finish by raking up all the excess thatch on your lawn. Then water and fertilize your lawn thoroughly.
How often should I dethatch my lawn?
Thatch builds up over time, so it's not necessary to dethatch every year. Plan on dethatching every five years or so if your lawn needs it. You might want to give your lawn a quick check every year just to see how much thatch has accumulated.
What month Should I aerate my lawn?
Aeration can take place at any time of the year, but the best time is usually in the spring/early summer or fall. The general recommendation is to core aerate when there is the most root growth.
How often should you dethatch your lawn?
Thatch builds up over time, so it's not necessary to dethatch every year. Plan on dethatching every five years or so if your lawn needs it. You might want to give your lawn a quick check every year just to see how much thatch has accumulated.
Can dethatching hurt your lawn?
Dethatching Damage Spring dethatching hits a lawn hard when it is already in a precarious condition. Secondly, dethatching in the spring with power equipment can bring up crabgrass and other noxious weed seeds, setting your lawn up for a future infestation.
Can I dethatch in winter?
6:3711:33Dethatch A Lawn In Winter: Can You Do It & When It Makes SenseYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd the fall when grass is growing the most it is able to repair that damage simply because it is inMoreAnd the fall when grass is growing the most it is able to repair that damage simply because it is in active growth mode. But during the winter during dormancy.
How do you pick thatch after dethatching?
If you're exhausted from raking and ready to enjoy beautiful fall weekends without all the yard work, you should definitely consider a tow-behind lawn sweeper. Lawn sweepers are the ideal tool for picking up leaves, pine needles, grass clippings and old grass (thatch) after dethatching.
When to dethatch grass?
Active grass growth helps speed your lawn's recovery. Dethatch cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, in late summer or early fall. Dethatch warm-season grasses, such as Bermudagrass or Zoysia grass, after spring green-up, as they enter early summer's peak growth. Never dethatch when your lawn is dormant or stressed;
How to tell if your lawn has thatch?
Take a garden trowel or spade and dig up a small wedge of your lawn grass and soil. You'll be able to see and measure its thatch layer. If your thatch is 1–2 inches or more, you've probably already seen signs of poor grass color and weak, thin growth. Once you've confirmed your thatch exceeds the healthy mark, the time for dethatching has come.
What is a manual dethatching rake?
Manual dethatching rakes are heavy, short-tined rakes with curved blades designed to dig into your lawn and pull up thatch as you rake. Dethatching rakes are good for light thatch and general thatch maintenance on small lawn areas.
Why is thatch a barrier?
Water from irrigation can accumulate in the thatch layer, too, so grass roots suffocate from lack of air.
What is thick thatch?
Thick thatch also provides a breeding ground for lawn disease and insect pests. Some lawn grasses are more prone to thatch buildup than other. Vigorous, spreading grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, Bermudagrass and creeping fescues, may need regular dethatching.
How thick is a thatch layer?
A thin thatch layer, less than 1/2-inch thick , is beneficial to lawn health.1 It acts as an organic mulch to help conserve soil moisture and protect against big fluctuations in soil temperatures. A thin thatch layer allows water, nutrients and air to penetrate into soil and reach waiting plant roots.
Where does thatch form?
A mix of dead and living plant material, thatch forms at the base of grass plants, where stems meet roots and soil. Some organic matter, such as small grass clippings or mulched leaves, break down quickly in healthy lawns, but other materials take much longer to decompose. When buildup outpaces breakdown, your lawn's thatch layer grows thicker.
What to do after dethatching?
The first thing to do after dethatching is to remove the piles of thatch from your yard. After dethatching, seed the lawn and consider topdressing. If you’ve taken plugs of soil, that soil can be left as a topdressing. But the planty thatch material should be removed.
What is the most common method of dethatching?
What they have in common are spinning metal pieces that pierce and lift the thatch from the lawn. Some employ slicers, others metal tines (experts recommend the former as more effective).
How much does it cost to dethatch a rake?
How Much Dethatching Costs. Simple, motorized dethatching machines can run from the low $100s to nearly $300. Tow-behind dethatchers can vary widely, from about $70 to almost $3,000, depending on its size and features. Nonmotorized options can run as low as $35 for a simple thatching rake.
How many times should I water my yard before bringing out the big guns?
The Virginia Extension recommends watering thoroughly two days before you plan to bring out the big guns. Run the dethatching machine over your yard at least three times, Callahan said, in different directions each time. The machine should churn up roughly the same volume of material each pass, he said.
What is a dethatching machine?
Dethatching machine pulling up a lot of thatch. Dethatching machines come in various forms. And although some lawn services and rental companies use the terms interchangeably, the machines perform dethatching by different means, with varying levels of intensity.
How can I reduce thatch in my lawn?
Choosing or mixing in some perennial ryegrass or tall fescue will cut down on thatch production in your lawn. Test your soil periodically for its nutrient levels and acidity. Find out how much lime you need to keep those levels where they’ll promote healthy lawn growth and microbial populations that break down thatch.
What is thatch in grass?
Thatch is a tightly intermingled layer of dead and living grass shoots, stems and roots that accumulate above the soil and below the green vegetation. A little bit of thatch is normal and even beneficial. It gives turf a bit of a bounce, beneficial for little feet and golf balls.
How do I dethatch a lawn?
How to Dethatch Your Lawn. Tackle small lawns with a dethatching rake, and rent a dethatcher (also known as a vertical cutter, verticutter, or power rake) for larger lawns. Mow your lawn to half its normal height before you begin dethatching. (FYI: Don’t fertilize before dethatching.)
How thick is thatch in a yard?
It’s when thatch builds up to more than ¾-inch thick that’s the problem.
How to tell if your lawn is compacted?
You can tell your soil is overly compacted if you can’t easily insert a screwdriver into it. When thatch (bits of grass that have died and gathered just above the soil line) is too thick, your lawn will feel spongy, and it will be difficult to stick your finger through to the soil. Either way, you need to take action.
When is the best time to dethatch?
The Best Time to Dethatch. The period of active growth and warming temperatures of spring are ideal for dethatching, but exactly when in spring depends on the type of turf you have. Both warm-season and cold-season turf types should be dethatched after they are actively growing.
How to tell if your lawn has too much thatch?
To determine if your lawn has an excessive amount of thatch, look at, feel, and even measure the thatch layer. What you're looking for is a thatch layer that's thicker than 1/2- to 3/4-inch, which means it's time to dethatch. Get down on your belly and comb your fingers through the grass.
What to do with lawn in spring?
One of the first things you can do for a lawn in the spring is thatch control . Thinning out the thatch in the lawn clears out old, dead grass and other organic matter that has built up but not broken down over the fall and winter months.
