I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

Which is the best, assuming money is no object. Which is the best for
the lawn?
Does anyone have any other advice on dethatching?

Thanks.

"Paul Gerst" wrote in message
...
I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

Which is the best, assuming money is no object. Which is the best for
the lawn?
Does anyone have any other advice on dethatching?

Thanks.


Are you sure that you have a thatch problem? Many people rip out the dead
grass from the previous growing season for no particular reason. It will
decompose and help to fertilize the new lawn growing in.

A thatch problem will force the crown of the grass plant to move up higher
than it was meant to. This is damaging to the plants and creates an
unhealthy environment.

If you do have a thatch problem I would recommend the vertical mower to
remove it. Be prepared for a lot of waste product.

Peter H

Thanks. I had neglected the lawn last year so there is a lot of unwanted
matter on the ground. I am also planning on overseeding so I wanted the
highest soil contact possible.

How well do the vertical mowers work?

Peter H wrote:
"Paul Gerst" wrote in message
...

I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

Which is the best, assuming money is no object. Which is the best for
the lawn?
Does anyone have any other advice on dethatching?

Thanks.



Are you sure that you have a thatch problem? Many people rip out the dead
grass from the previous growing season for no particular reason. It will
decompose and help to fertilize the new lawn growing in.

A thatch problem will force the crown of the grass plant to move up higher
than it was meant to. This is damaging to the plants and creates an
unhealthy environment.

If you do have a thatch problem I would recommend the vertical mower to
remove it. Be prepared for a lot of waste product.

Peter H

Don't know where you are, but for most areas of the US with cool season
grasses, it's way past optimal time for seeding. The best time is
early Sept, second best early spring. Now you have hot weather on the
way, which makes it much harder.

Also, I agree with Peter, that unless you really have a thatch problem,
de-thatching is necessary. You can overseed by cutting it short and
using a slice seeder, which is a lot less work.

What is a slice seeder?

wrote:
Don't know where you are, but for most areas of the US with cool season
grasses, it's way past optimal time for seeding. The best time is
early Sept, second best early spring. Now you have hot weather on the
way, which makes it much harder.

Also, I agree with Peter, that unless you really have a thatch problem,
de-thatching is necessary. You can overseed by cutting it short and
using a slice seeder, which is a lot less work.

Do you have a friend named Google?

Here, let me introduce you two. http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en Now,
paste or type "slice seeder" into the blank space and press the keyboard's
Enter key. Voila!
And for dessert, http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&q= . Same
drill. This time you get images.

--
Tom


"Paul Gerst" wrote in message
...
What is a slice seeder?

wrote:
Don't know where you are, but for most areas of the US with cool season
grasses, it's way past optimal time for seeding. The best time is
early Sept, second best early spring. Now you have hot weather on the
way, which makes it much harder.

Also, I agree with Peter, that unless you really have a thatch problem,
de-thatching is necessary. You can overseed by cutting it short and
using a slice seeder, which is a lot less work.

On Sun, 22 May 2005 16:46:30 -0400, Paul Gerst
wrote:

I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

Which is the best, assuming money is no object. Which is the best for
the lawn?
Does anyone have any other advice on dethatching?

Thanks.

Actually, you could try a tonic to breakdown the thatch. If the
thatch is more than 1", then a mechanical means may be
necessary but try using the famous tonic to breakdown the
thatch:

1 can beer (not light, you want the yeast)
1 can cola (not diet, you want the sugar content)
1 cup liquid soap (lemon scented dishwashing type)
1 cup ammonia

Put in a 20 gal sprayer over 2500 sq ft. of grass.

There are commercial thatch breakdown liquids you can buy as well.

Thunder

Paul Gerst wrote:
I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

4) Core aeration regularly. (best choice)

Steveo wrote:
Paul Gerst wrote:
I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

4) Core aeration regularly. (best choice)

What do you consider regularly?
It's been six years since the last time I core aerated.

Dan

"Dan" wrote in message
news:LV7le.1224$m%3.298@trnddc02...
Steveo wrote:
Paul Gerst wrote:
I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

4) Core aeration regularly. (best choice)

What do you consider regularly?
It's been six years since the last time I core aerated.

And how much should one expect to pay for getting the yard done? How about
renting equipment?

"Noozer" wrote:
"Dan" wrote in message
news:LV7le.1224$m%3.298@trnddc02...
Steveo wrote:
Paul Gerst wrote:
I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

4) Core aeration regularly. (best choice)

What do you consider regularly?
It's been six years since the last time I core aerated.

And how much should one expect to pay for getting the yard done?

That depends on lawn size.

How
about renting equipment?

Works fine, under $100/day.

"Dan" wrote:
Steveo wrote:
Paul Gerst wrote:
I have a question regarding dethatching....

There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake
2) Using a lawnmower attachment
3) Renting a vertical mower

4) Core aeration regularly. (best choice)

What do you consider regularly?
It's been six years since the last time I core aerated.

Dan

Every year. The soil microbes that are brought to the surface in the plugs
accelerate the rotting of the thatch layer. If you stay on a regular
schedule with it, you won't need de-thatching.

Steveo wrote:
"Dan" wrote:

What do you consider regularly?
It's been six years since the last time I core aerated.

Dan

Every year. The soil microbes that are brought to the surface in the
plugs accelerate the rotting of the thatch layer. If you stay on a
regular schedule with it, you won't need de-thatching.


Thanks for the info, Steveo.
I take it spring or fall is the best time to aerate?

Dan

"Dan" wrote:
Steveo wrote:
"Dan" wrote:

What do you consider regularly?
It's been six years since the last time I core aerated.

Dan

Every year. The soil microbes that are brought to the surface in the
plugs accelerate the rotting of the thatch layer. If you stay on a
regular schedule with it, you won't need de-thatching.

Thanks for the info, Steveo.
I take it spring or fall is the best time to aerate?

Dan

Those are the only times to do it.

Paul Gerst wrote:
I have a question regarding dethatching....
There are 3 options...

1) Using a thatch rake

You should have a lot of time and energy to do it using only a rake (or
a very small area to dethatch)

2) Using a lawnmower attachment

Lawnmower attachment? I haven't looked for or seen those, but I have
one for a lawn tractor. First time I used one, worked well enough, but
I think dedicated equipment would have worked better. It would be
easier to get it into places that the tractor couldn't go.

3) Renting a vertical mower

Could be the best option, especially if you don't already have a tractor.

Does anyone have any other advice on dethatching?

Mow short before dethatching and bag the clippings. If you're going to
overseed after, I've read that a second mowing would be useful after
dethatching (according to the Ortho Lawn book) but I skipped the second
mowing due to time constraints. However, after the rain and the growth
spurt in the rest of the lawn has grown quite a bit in the last 10 days.
I'm not supposed to mow that because of the overseeding so I'll just
have to wait till the new seed grows atleat 1.5" (once again, according
to the Ortho Lawn book). These are notes from my first and only
experience dethatching, so take it with a grain of salt.

--
Himanshu