Dethatching is a crucial lawn care practice that often confuses homeowners. Many agree to this service on their lawn care professional’s recommendation without fully understanding what it entails. However, knowing the ins and outs of dethatching can be incredibly valuable for maintaining a healthy lawn.
My guide explains dethatching, why it benefits a lawn’s ecosystem, and when homeowners should consider doing it.
What Is Dethatching?
Dethatching is the process of removing thatch from a lawn. It’s typically done with a dethatching rake and improves the soil quality and the grass’s overall health. Removing the thatch layer when it gets too thick helps oxygen and water reach the soil, where the grass root system can take in what it needs.
What Is Thatch?
Thatch is the term for the organic material such as grass clippings and tree debris, that accumulates between grass and the soil surface and gradually decomposes. Thatch is a critical part of lawn health. It helps moderate soil temperature and retains moisture for grass to use to thrive.
However, the layer can quickly grow too thick and prevent grass from uptaking what it needs from the soil. Ultimately, dethatching is a necessary process from time to time to ensure grass remains healthy and vibrant.
When to Dethatch Your Lawn
Some thatch is typically healthy for a lawn and can naturally help prevent weeds, but if the layer of thatch gets too thick, it can be detrimental to lawn health.
Thatch accumulates rather slowly, so unlike core aeration, the service isn’t required or recommended annually. Homeowners should aim to dethatch their lawn about once every five years or if their lawn shows signs of needing the service.
The best time of year to dethatch is during the lawn’s growing season, which is based on the type of grass. This will ensure that the lawn has time to recover from the slight amount of stress dethatching can put on it.
Warm-Season Grasses
Warm-climate grass species, like Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and bahiagrass, should be dethatched in late spring or early summer. Early spring is also acceptable, but it can put too much stress on the grass if it’s still dormant.
Cool-Season Grasses
Cool-season grasses and those that thrive in moderate temperatures, like ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and fescue grass, should be dethatched in late summer or early fall.
How To Dethatch Your Lawn
There are three different ways to dethatch a lawn, but they all involve the same underlying method—using a rake-like tool to pull the thatch out of the lawn. Here are the options available to homeowners.
Manual Thatch Rake
The easiest method is a manual thatch rake. These tools reach deep into the lawn to remove the decomposing organic matter.
A manual rake is the most affordable option but also the most labor intensive. To pull out the thatch, rake the lawn with downward force. Make sure to go over the entire lawn evenly and dispose of the lawn thatch once the removal is complete.
Power Rake
The second method involves renting or purchasing a power rake. Power rakes look like lawnmowers but have tines that reach down into the thatch layer instead of blades that cut grass.
Power rakes can make quick work of a lawn dethatching project, but they’re much more expensive than manual rakes, and users need to be very careful to get a power rake that can be set according to their grass type.
Tow-Behind Dethatcher
The last option is a vertical mower or tow-behind dethatcher, also called a verticutter. These dethatchers could be a good option for those with a ride-on mower to use for pulling them. They’re the fastest method for dethatching a lawn, and users will spend almost no energy completing the job.
Once you tow the dethatcher around the property, you can clean up the thatch with a standard leaf rake.
Dethatching vs. Core Aeration
Some homeowners confuse dethatching and lawn aeration, but the two processes are quite different. Dethatching removes the thatch layer, allowing oxygen, nutrients, and water to reach grass roots easily. Core aeration removes plugs from the lawn to reduce soil compaction.
Although dethatching and core aeration are different, they have some similar effects. Both will improve water flow through the soil and increase the grass’s oxygen levels, which will also improve lawn health overall.
How To Know if Your Lawn Needs Dethatching
Dethatching isn’t an annual service like aeration and should be done as needed. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t know when dethatching is needed. Here are some easy ways to tell if a property is in need of dethatching.
Testing the Thatch Thickness
First, homeowners should plan to dethatch if the thatch layer gets too thick. Follow these steps to measure thatch thickness:
- Use a shovel to dig up a small portion of the lawn.
- Expose the side of the section and look at the layers of soil and grass.
- Identify the thatch layer by looking for what looks like abnormally loose soil, mulch, or decomposing material.
- Measure the thickness of the thatch layer.
A thatch layer of around ½ inch is ideal. If the thatch layer is thicker, it’s time to dethatch.
Common Signs Your Lawn Needs Dethatching
A lawn will also indicate when it needs dethatching because letting the layer of decomposing material get too thick will eventually weaken the grass. Below are some signs that a yard might benefit from dethatching:
- Brown patches or dead spots on the lawn
- Water pooling on the property when it rains
- More lawn pests on the property than normal
- Soil becomes spongy
Benefits of Dethatching
Dethatching is hugely beneficial to a lawn. The process, when done correctly and at the right time, can promote overall grass health and improve lawn appearance. Here are the most significant benefits of dethatching:
- Increases oxygen in the soil
- Loosens the soil to improve water seepage
- Makes fertilizer more effective
- Provides room for additional grass growth
- Prevents lawn disease
- Regulates soil temperature
If homeowners avoid overfertilizing and overwatering their lawns, as well as steer clear of pesticides and herbicides, they might find dethatching needs to be done only every five to ten years.
What to Do After Dethatching
Once the dethatching process is complete, providing proper care is crucial to help the lawn recover and thrive. Here are some essential steps to take after dethatching:
- Clean up debris: Remove and dispose of any thatch and other debris pulled up during the dethatching process.
- Water deeply: Ensure the lawn gets adequate water to help it recover from the stress of dethatching. Deep watering encourages root growth.
- Fertilize: Apply a balanced fertilizer to support new growth and strengthen the grass.
- Overseed (if necessary): If there are bare spots or thin areas after dethatching, overseed to promote a thicker and healthier lawn.
- Mow carefully: Avoid mowing the lawn too short. Set the mower at a higher setting to minimize stress on the recovering grass.
- Monitor for pests and diseases: Examine your lawn for signs of pests or diseases. Always take care of these as soon as possible.
- Adjust the lawn care routine: Adapt the lawn care routine based on the lawn’s recovery needs, including regular watering, mowing, and fertilizing.
- Consider aeration: If the soil is compacted, consider aerating the lawn to further improve its health and promote root growth.
- Be patient: Recovery takes time. Be patient and consistent with lawn care practices to see the best results.
By following these post-dethatching care steps, homeowners can help ensure that their lawn recovers quickly and reap the dethatching process’s full benefits.
Professional vs. DIY Dethatching
As with most lawn care services, homeowners must decide between using a professional lawn care company and DIY dethatching. Both options have their benefits and drawbacks.
Professional Lawn Care Service
Choosing a professional landscaping company to handle dethatching is wise for those looking for the best results. The service is more costly than doing the job yourself, but it also saves time and eliminates the need for hard work.
According to Angi, the average cost of professional dethatching is approximately $160 to $225, although prices can vary significantly based on lawn sizes and locations.
Check out our reviews on Sunday Lawn Care and the best lawn care fertilizer service for help finding the best lawn care service in your area.
DIY Dethatching
If homeowners prefer self-serviced lawn care solutions and want to save money, they can certainly do the dethatching themselves. This option will save some money but requires the homeowner to do all the strenuous work.
For DIY dethatching, homeowners will need to purchase or rent the necessary equipment. While this approach can be more cost-effective, using the correct techniques is essential to avoid damaging the lawn.
Final Thoughts
While dethatching can seem daunting, understanding when and how to do it can make a significant difference in lawn health. Whether choosing to hire a professional or take on the task themselves, homeowners armed with this knowledge can make informed decisions about their lawn care, leading to a healthier, more vibrant lawn.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does dethatching a lawn mean?
Dethatching is the process of removing the thatch, which is the layer of organic material that naturally accumulates between your grass and the soil below.
How do I know if my lawn needs dethatching?
Dethatching should typically be done about once every five years or so. However, you can check the thatch buildup by digging up a small portion of your lawn with a trowel to measure it.
Other signs that dethatching might be necessary include brown patches, dead grass, an increase in weeds or lawn pests, or poor drainage on your property.
Is dethatching necessary?
In most cases, yes. Thatch naturally accumulates when we cut our lawns, fertilize them, and water them.
Thatch is healthy when the layer remains a half-inch thick or less. Beyond that, dethatching becomes necessary to maintain a healthy lawn.
What month should I dethatch my lawn?
Dethatching is best at the peak of your lawn’s growing season. Cool-season grass species or turfgrasses like tall fescue, bluegrass, and ryegrass should be dethatched in the late summer or early fall.
Warm-season grass species like bermuda grass and bahiagrass should be dethatched in the late spring or early summer.
Should I aerate or dethatch first?
Dethatching before you aerate is generally recommended, as removing the thatch layer will leave more room for the core aerator to open up the soil to maximize root growth.
Can dethatching damage a lawn?
While dethatching is beneficial when done correctly, it can potentially damage a lawn if performed improperly or at the wrong time. Dethatching is an aggressive process that can stress grass and even tear out healthy turf if done too vigorously or with incorrect equipment.
It’s crucial to dethatch only when necessary, use the right tools for your grass type, and follow proper techniques. Additionally, dethatching during dormant periods or drought conditions can harm your lawn. If you’re unsure about the process, it’s best to consult with or hire a professional lawn care service to avoid potential damage.
Today's Homeowner Rating & Methodology
At Today's Homeowner, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each lawn company/service according to our methodology.
Our research team dug deep into the fine print of contracts, combed through more than one hundred customer reviews, and thoroughly investigated all of each lawn care service’s services, costs, and products. We’ve done the homework for you by researching nearly all of the lawn care companies on the market so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home.
We developed a formula to objectively determine the best lawn care companies and give each a score out of 100 based on the following criteria:
- Plan Options (30): Do they provide a variety of plan options? We looked at the number of plans each company offered and the flexibility of adjusting the plan.
- Services offered (20): How many services are offered in each plan? We looked at the number of lawn care coverages, including weed control, seeding, irrigation, aeration, dethatching, and more.
- Trust (10): What do customers say after their lawn has been serviced? Does this company offer a guarantee? We considered how satisfied customers are post-service if the company does what it says it will, BBB accreditation, and service guarantees.
- Prices (10): How reasonable are the costs of the plan or service in comparison to the industry average? We compared the costs of each company to competitors that offer the same lawn services.
- Unique perks (10): Does the company offer discounts or special services such as organic treatments, pest control, or a mobile app? We looked for perks each company offers that set them apart from the competition.
- Customer Service (10): How is the customer experience when contacting the company? We considered the speed of response, weekend/holiday availability, and ease of communication through phone calls, email, and online chat functions.
- Nationwide availability (10): How many states does the company offer its services? Companies that operate nationally and in all zip codes are favored over those with limited availability.
