How To Tell If Your Lawn Needs Dethatching

Like many plants, grass has a belowground root system topped by a living, aboveground shoot that’s green and growing. In between lies a layer known as thatch. Some thatch is natural and good for a lawn, but too much can usher in problems.

Comprised of leaves, stems and roots – some living, some dead – thatch forms as a natural part of turf’s growing process. It lies on top of the soil, a tightly woven layer beneath the visible grass blades. As long as it doesn’t get thicker than 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch, thatch actually contributes to lawn health in these ways:

• Mulching soil and slowing water loss
• Cushioning soil and decreasing compaction
• Insulating grass crowns from soil temperature swings
• Improving turf tolerance to foot and mower traffic

A problem arises when thatch develops into a thicker layer and forms a wedge between grass and soil. Too-thick thatch diminishes lawn health by:

• Forming an impervious layer that prevents water, fertilizer, and insect or disease controls from reaching soil
• Blocking sunlight from reaching lower grass blades
• Holding moisture against grass blades, which can foster disease
• Blocking soil so that grass roots grow into nutrient-lacking thatch, which forms a shallow-rooted lawn
• Creating an uneven lawn, which leads to uneven mowing and scalping

What Causes Thatch?

Although thatch forms naturally, some situations promote rapid thatch formation:

• Overfertilizing with too much nitrogen
• Overwatering
• Always mowing too high
• Heavy clay soil

Contact Lawn in Order today to schedule your Dethatching service in the Greater Houston area today!

Information courtesy of Bayer.