To thatch or not to thatch? That is the question. Well it is time to remove thatch from our bermudagrass lawns. What is thatch? It is the buildup of old leaves and stems of the grass plant that accumulates on or at the lower reaches of the plant. Thatch is normal and some thatch is good, it helps protect the root structure and acts as shade and insulation for the roots of the plant. Too much thatch ,however, can prohibit enough sunlight,water,and oxygen from getting to the lower reaches of the plant and or the roots. If this happens the grass can stress from lack of water, or you can get disease problems in these dark,shady,organic places. Contrary to popular thinking thatch doesn't occur from not picking up your clippings.  If you plant a winter lawn and you do a thorough job of scalping the lawn you have probably fulfilled your thatching requirement for the year. Thatching again now can, however, help in the transition process from winter to summer lawn.  If you did not plant winter grass then now is the time to get-'er-done! The warm season grasses are starting to grow fast enough to recover quickly-any time now is ok.  How do you thatch? Well the easiest way is to rent a machine designed for the task. A power rake or dethatching machine is the most common. There are blades that can be adapted to rotary type lawn mowers that can also accomplish this task. If you are a glutton for punishment, or just need a heap of exercise, there is a thatching rake that you operate with elbow grease! Really this is a pretty easy task with power equipment and doesn't take much more time than mowing! Well that until the cleanup. You should and will create if done properly many garbage bags of thatch that will have to be raked up and removed from the lawn-that really is the hardest part of the job! Should you dethatch every year? Well that depends on how your lawn grows each year and how good a job you do thatching! My advise would be yes.  After thatching you have a great opportunity to aerate your lawn-another piece of equipment is needed, but this is a greatly overlooked process in keeping a great lawn and saving water! My advise is to get a few neighbors together and share in the rental fees of both pieces of equipment and it makes the job go much faster!

As with every weekly tip you can click on the coupon link and print out instant savings for the weekly product! This week it is lawn food, as that is the last step in the thatching chore! Be sure to give your lawn a good fertilization and watering to enhance new growth!

 

Hope you are having and enjoyable spring in your garden! We hope we are making it more successful! 

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