Dethatching

What is lawn dethatching? 

Lawn dethatching is also known as “power raking” and that’s exactly what it does. As grass goes through the yearly cycle of growing and dying, old growth falls between the blades onto the soil surface. This also happens with grass clippings from your lawn mower. This buildup of dead grass is called “thatch.” Removing the dead growth is called “dethatching.”

Throughout the year, the old growth creates a bed of dead grass on the soil surface which impedes growth and blocks the soil from the things it needs to stay healthy. Dethatching, or power raking, removes this dead growth.

Why should I dethatch my lawn? 

Dethatching removes dead grass from your lawn, much the same way you would remove dead limbs from a tree or dead branches from a rose bush.

Grass needs several things to be healthy:

1. Sunlight

2. Water

3. Oxygen

4. Nutrients

Dethatching the dead grass from your lawn allows the soil and root bed to get all of these things more easily, and to penetrate the soil deeper.

If your lawn appears salt-and-peppered with yellow grass, you need a dethatch! If your lawn feels spongy or pillowy, it’s also a good indicator you could use a dethatch. Even lawns that look green and healthy should be dethatched. Since the dead growth sits on the soil, it can be hard to see, but you can bet your bacon it’s in there! 

When should I aerate my lawn? 

Dethatching frequency can vary depending on grass species and growth rate, but as a general rule, at Carson City Aerating we recommend dethatching once a year in the fall. The cooler temperatures prevent the soil from drying out and present a good opportunity for overseeding if desired (you might notice a few thin spots after the dethatcher has raked out all the dead stuff). 

Dethatching is one of the many helpful things to keep your lawn growing healthy and beautiful. So call or email Carson City Aerating for a quote today!