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Beautiful Landscapes Are in Our Genes

Dethatching—Why Your Lawn Needs It

Oct 14, 2014

Dethatching is an important aspect of providing proper lawn care (link “lawn care” to appropriate page) for your property. Thatch is the layer of living and dead stems, roots, rhizomes, and runners between the green blades of grass and the soil surface. A thin layer of thatch (less than a half-inch thick) can be beneficial to your lawn because it helps to limit weed germination, reduce water evaporation, and protect from frost damage.

Thick layers of thatch can prevent water, air, and nutrients from penetrating the soil, which causes reduced root growth and increases the potential for drought stress. A thick thatch layer also can harbor insect pests and encourage fungal growth.

Some grass species, such as tall fescue and perennial rye grass, do not product much thatch. Others, including Bermuda grass, bentgrass, and Kentucky bluegrass, have creeping growth habits and rapidly build thick thatch layers.

I recommend dethatching in the spring, prior to the first application of lawn products. Call H~DNA to dethatch your lawn with the right equipment and expertise.