Lawn Dethatching in Attleboro Ma

This is the second in the series of lawn care tips and techniques. So what about thatch.

What is thatch and where does it come from?
Thatch is a naturally occurring layer that includes the ligneous parts of the grass including - crowns, stolons and rhizomes. The thatch layer of a healthy lawn is less than 1/2 in thick, but it is there. A healthy thatch layer helps the lawn in many ways:
-It shades the roots.
It provides shade to the turf crowns and also also the root systems. If a lawn has no thatch layer the summer sun will scorch the turf crowns and dry them out, as well as possibly burn the roots.
-Aids in moisture retention. 
A healthy layer of thatch keeps the moisture from evaporating so quickly, and retains the moisture between waterings.
-Reduces soil erosion.
Without thatch heavy rains can wash away the soil around the turf roots and expose them. The thatch helps to disperse heave flow.

-Promotes microbial activity.
Many microbes and bacteria reside in the thatch layer and help to break down nutrients for the grass and are part of ecosystem of a healthy turf.

How it is conventionally dealt with.
Thatch is usually thought of as a problem and something that needs to be removed. As I have laid out above it is actually necessary to a healthy lawn. In most cases if there is unhealthy build up, people resort to power raking or vertical mower. The problem with these options is they are more destructive to lawn than beneficial. They rip out the thatch but also the roots of your lawn. In these areas weeds can take over even before the seed comes up (if you do overseed). It will rip out 100% of the thatch and you will not have the benefits listed above. 

How to treat the problem, not the symptom.
 The problem with the thatch layer in most cases is that the thatch layer is not breaking down fast enough. The organisms that break down the excess thatch are very temperamental. They need the right amount of water, air and food in the form of organic matter. Lawn clippings that are mulched are an excellent form of food (refer to this post for more information). So the power raking causes more damage to the lawn and is only treating the symptom of the problem which is microbial.

What does this company do? 
Here at T. J. Landscaping we prefer to dethatch lightly one to two times a year. We use a rake a in front of our mowers which do take up a minimal amount of thatch and also help to pick up large leaves pieces that the mower would not normally pick up. It also helps to keep the grass from matting. In most cases aeration and top dressing correctly will help to maintain a healthy lawn.

Timothy Kaiser
Service Manager