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Lawn care help (Chicago)!

I know this is about gardens, but seems to be the closest usenet group
where I may find some expertise about lawns. Specifically:

(1) What is the best way to "dethatch" and "aerate" a small lawn
manually?

(2) When is the best time to apply organic weed-preventers like Corn
Gluten Meal? Before or after dethatching/aerating?

(3) Simialry, do I overseed a few weeks before or after applying Corn
Gluten Meal?

This is in Chicago. Thanks for any advice.

Lawn care help (Chicago)!

On Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:40:36 -0500, Newbie
wrote:
I know this is about gardens, but seems to be the closest usenet group
where I may find some expertise about lawns. Specifically:

(1) What is the best way to "dethatch" and "aerate" a small lawn
manually?

Scarify with a spring tine rake, aerate with a garden fork.

(2) When is the best time to apply organic weed-preventers like Corn
Gluten Meal? Before or after dethatching/aerating?

I have no idea what that is, but do the manual work on the lawn before
applying any products.

(3) Simialry, do I overseed a few weeks before or after applying Corn
Gluten Meal?

I would say read the Corn Gluten Meal packet, it may tell you.

This is in Chicago. Thanks for any advice.

This is Buckingham. No problem (^_^)

Steven
--
You're a great friend, but if the zombies chase us I'm tripping you.

www.baldman.org.uk

Lawn care help (Chicago)!

In article , Steven Wayne
wrote:

: Scarify with a spring tine rake, aerate with a garden fork.

Thanks! A little extra clarification -

1. I thought a rake is to *collect* things like leaves that are already
loose. Will a rake, even metal one, actually *cut* the thatch, which is
what I think will be needed?

2. In aerating with fork, do I just punch holes in the ground, or do I
have to actually turn the soil over?

Just trying to be careful and not do more harm than good.

Lawn care help (Chicago)!

A heavy duty garden rake only has heavy tines about 3" long. (You are
probably thinking of a leaf rake, which has light tines a foot or more
in length.) The heavy rake is used to move soil and mulch around,
dethatch, etc. There are probably a dozen tines on the thing, so it
is long and low. Dethatching is a fairly easy chore with a heavy
rake.

The fork, which can be used to aerate, would be used by just punching
holes about 1" into the ground. This job would be long and
exhausting. I have about 1/4 acre and will only aerate if I can rent
the machine - heavy clay soil is a pure *itch to aerate manually.

On Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:40:55 -0500, Newbie wrote:

In article , Steven Wayne
wrote:

: Scarify with a spring tine rake, aerate with a garden fork.

Thanks! A little extra clarification -

1. I thought a rake is to *collect* things like leaves that are already
loose. Will a rake, even metal one, actually *cut* the thatch, which is
what I think will be needed?

2. In aerating with fork, do I just punch holes in the ground, or do I
have to actually turn the soil over?

Just trying to be careful and not do more harm than good.

Lawn care help (Chicago)!

Fran wrote:

On Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:40:55 -0500, Newbie wrote:

In article , Steven Wayne
wrote:

: Scarify with a spring tine rake, aerate with a garden fork.

Thanks! A little extra clarification -

1. I thought a rake is to *collect* things like leaves that are already
loose. Will a rake, even metal one, actually *cut* the thatch, which is
what I think will be needed?

2. In aerating with fork, do I just punch holes in the ground, or do I
have to actually turn the soil over?

A heavy duty garden rake only has heavy tines about 3" long. (You are
probably thinking of a leaf rake, which has light tines a foot or more
in length.) The heavy rake is used to move soil and mulch around,
dethatch, etc. There are probably a dozen tines on the thing, so it
is long and low. Dethatching is a fairly easy chore with a heavy
rake.

Easy... sheesh, you've never dethatched manually or you are built like
the Hulk. For a small lawn a thatch rake will work but so will you.

The fork, which can be used to aerate, would be used by just punching
holes about 1" into the ground. This job would be long and
exhausting. I have about 1/4 acre and will only aerate if I can rent
the machine - heavy clay soil is a pure *itch to aerate manually.

A regular garden rake or leaf rake is useless for thatch.
A 1/4 acre is too much area to dethatch manually too.
But you can try it, happy aches and pains, and blisters:
http://www.amazon.com/Ames-True-Temp.../dp/B00004S1RW

I had one of those hanging in my garage for 30 years, after using it
once never again... rent a machine or a migrant worker.

Anyway where to begin with the OP's lawn depends on many factors such
as soil condition and how poor a condition overall... I strongly
suspect it might be more advantageous in all respects to till and
begin from scratch.... by the time someone asks about their fercockta
lawn at a newsgroup it means their lawn is a disaster and they've
exhausted all other sources because those recommendations cost money
and the poster is actually looking for a miracal that's economically
free, labor free, and results in world class golf course turf.

Lawn care help (Chicago)!

In article , Brooklyn1
wrote:
: http://www.amazon.com/Ames-True-Temp.../dp/B00004S1RW

Thanks. Came across another one - more expensive than above but of
course not more than powered equipment -

http://www.amazon.com/Grass-Stitcher.../dp/B002NKJYK2