I have large areas in my lawn that need dethatching. On a
recommendation of a friend I purchased a Liquid Composter & Dethatcher
which is an enzyme you spray on that produces a bacteria that is
supposed to accelerate the natural decomposition of lawn thatch.

It is also time to spread the crabgrass preventer and fertilizer.
Keeping in mind I'm having the lawn aerated soon, please let me know
your opinion:

Aerate
Spray dethatcher
Wait a week
Fertilize

or

Aerate
Fertilize
Wait a week
Spray dethatcher


Thanks to all.

-ba

On 16 Apr 2004 18:13:13 -0700, Bill Adams wrote:
I have large areas in my lawn that need dethatching. On a
recommendation of a friend I purchased a Liquid Composter & Dethatcher
which is an enzyme you spray on that produces a bacteria that is
supposed to accelerate the natural decomposition of lawn thatch.

Have you really got excessive thatch? If so, knock off the high
N fertilizer.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...re/DG1123.html

What I've seen of the "biological dethatchers" has been pretty inconsistent
results; mechanical dethatching is my choice.

Don't bother with crabgrass pre-emergent herbicides if the soil temp
is over 60o.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/stateline/010322.html

Kay Lancaster

Kay, Thanks for your response.

No it's not extensive and I don't think it's deep. I'd say that about
20% of my lawn has brown/gray dead grass laying down.

Hi Bill,

I used a dethatching tool that has a series of moon-shaped blades on
it. It worked really well in removing thatch, and it was a workout to
complete a half acre. The cause of the thatch was drought conditions
that killed a lot of grass. Grubs can kill grass too. Apply the
fertilizer at half rate, unless it is an organic type. Thatch buildup
can be more of a problem in areas that are not full sun. It would be
helpful to find out the cause of thatch and soil compaction, then
remove the cause.

On 16 Apr 2004 18:13:13 -0700, (Bill Adams) wrote:

I have large areas in my lawn that need dethatching. On a
recommendation of a friend I purchased a Liquid Composter & Dethatcher
which is an enzyme you spray on that produces a bacteria that is
supposed to accelerate the natural decomposition of lawn thatch.

It is also time to spread the crabgrass preventer and fertilizer.
Keeping in mind I'm having the lawn aerated soon, please let me know
your opinion:

Aerate
Spray dethatcher
Wait a week
Fertilize

or

Aerate
Fertilize
Wait a week
Spray dethatcher


Thanks to all.

-ba

On 17 Apr 2004 16:09:26 -0700, Bill Adams wrote:
Kay, Thanks for your response.

No it's not extensive and I don't think it's deep. I'd say that about
20% of my lawn has brown/gray dead grass laying down.

Are you saying the grass is dead in about 20% of the lawn? If so,
the first thing I'd do is pull cores from those areas and see if you
can see what might be happening. Unless you've got a *really* bad
thatch problem in those areas, it's not likely that thatch is the
issue.

http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...ort/g06708.htm
http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/tips/2003/thatch514.htm

Kay