My Fellow Turfgrass Combatants,
Good job. Carry on with your great work in the service of your lawn. In this block of instruction, I will discuss THATCH. That's right; you heard me. THATCH. Thatch buildup results because you are not following orders. So, it is your fault. Thatch can be a good thing - but like many good things; too much is NOT good.
Lawn thatch is the buildup of excessive unwanted material in your lawn that can choke out air, water, nutrients and sunlight. An excessive build up of thatch in your lawn can cause grass to stop growing and even become more prone to insects and lawn diseases by weakening your turf. Thatch is composed of dead grass build up, pine needles, leaves, moss or other organic material. It can also refer to the dead layer of sod that is left over after an insect infestation.
Write this down: You will never have more than 0.5 inches of thatch. Now repeat after me; "I will never have more than 0.5 inches of thatch in my yard." AGAIN! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! Okay. If you have more than that, its time to get out of your Class B uniform and get to work.
How do I "de-thatch" or remove thatch from a lawn?
There are four ways to manually get rid of thatch from your lawn. If it is a small lawn, you could do it by hand. De-thatching a 1,000 square foot front yard could easily take 2 to 3 hours. It can be real back breaking work - or, awesome PT - depending on how you look at it. Most people prefer to do de-thatching or thatch removal by renting a machine (Like I do - I also have a thatching rake I can pull behind my tractor). These machines are called a lawn thatcher or "power rake". These lawn thatchers should cost between $65 and $120 for a 4 hour rental. Another way to do it is to hire someone to do it for you. Rates vary according to area. They typically charge about $150 to $200 for a 2,000 square foot yard, including clean up. Clean up can be a big deal. Depending on how much thatch you have, you could have several large trash bags or a couple pick-up trucks full of dead grass. With two people this takes about an hour. If you are doing it by yourself, you should plan on 3 to 4 hours. Bigger lawns will take longer. Before thatching, make sure to mow your lawn about 1/3 shorter than usual. If you normally cut your grass at 3", cut it down to 2". It is best to thatch when the grass is dry. A wet lawn can very quickly turn into a mess.
If the main problem is moss, try using iron sulfate first to get rid of the moss. (Sweet soil is an alkali that may raise the pH to inhibit future growth; however it is not very effective once the moss is already there.) It may be important to stay on top of it, by adding iron to your lawn in the spring and the fall. The best time to put the iron on is whenever moss is actively growing.
When is the best time to thatch a lawn? (“Power Rake”)
The best time to “de-thatch” a lawn with a thatching tool or machine is in the spring or in the early fall. That falls in line with the doctrine I have been spouting off to you - don't mess with your lawn in the middle of the summer or the middle of the winter. Lawn thatching in the spring or fall allows your lawn to recover before it gets too hot or too cold. De-thatch before you core aerate. Most lawns will not look that bad after they get de-thatched. Depending on how much thatch and other organic material the machine pulls up (sticks, stones, debris), your lawn could look like western Iraq. Because lawn thatchers can take a lot of moss or bad grasses out of your lawn, the lawn may need to be re-seeded in order for it to heal properly. (If there is a lot of moss, you may also need to add iron sulfate to get rid of the remaining moss before seeding.) Lawns with 'dead thatch' can be very tricky to deal with if insect damage is extensive.
How often do I need to thatch my lawn?
It depends on the lawn and the type of climate. Most experts recommend thatching once every 3 to 5 years. Some yards may not need to be thatched for many more years. You can tell if you have thatch by placing your foot on the grass and seeing if your foot makes an impression that stays on the lawn, not unlike the drought diagnosis I mentioned in my section on irrigation. You may also be interested in finding out more about dethatchers or power rakes...the different types of weapons for this sort of operation.
John Quincy Adams once said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." (The Paradox of Power) That is pretty close to my definition of leadership - The ability to inspire greatness in others.
Well, I've been asked by several of my turfgrass troops what MY lawn looks like. Besides telling them it is none of their business, I usually show some photos - or, I bring them over to the house. Here, below, is a photo of my backyard in 2011:
Just to the left of center in this 2011 photo, you will see a tree that is almost directly behind another tree. That second tree, behind the front tree, died. Not sure what happened. I didn't see any presence of disease. In the spring of 2012, it just didn't come back, bloom again. And, it started to really look bad. So, I had it removed. The stump was ground down. I removed all the wood debris. Put down lawn soil , seeded and fertilized. In the pictures below, in 2012, (third one down) you will see the place where it was - and it looks like it was never there. Now that's turfgrass management!
Here are the pictures taken in 2012 below:
Okay, below here's some pics of my yard taken just recently - June, 2013. Not too bad. All the other, earlier pictures above are taken much earlier in the growing season.
These are taken much later...by at least a couple months. You can perhaps see some signs of heat stress already. I quit watering a few years back - too expensive. I just let it go dormant.
You can see I got lots of dense shade.
I've experimented with all sorts of things over the years.....fertilizers....fish guts....all sorts of things. Now, I am a "minimalist."
But, this year I have been experimenting with a mulching kit for my mower. That means it has special blades and a block for the discharge chute. The jury is still out. I don't think the blades do as good a job as regular blades. They have seemed to get awfully dull awfully fast this year.
The clippings I have seen do seem to be a bit more chewed up....much smaller in size.
I dunno...
We'll see....
Here are some pics from May of 2014. Not too bad either - considering the winter we had. There was some cold weather damage. Any time your turf remains under water, or under ice, for long periods of time, you can have a difficult recovery in the spring.
I also had some salt/de-icing compound damage along the street. And I had some of that damage around my back patio and along the front walkway. I knew that would happen. But, I'd rather sacrifice some turf, in this case, than have someone slip and fall.
This is a shot of the north side of the backyard.
This is a shot of the south side of the backyard.
An update on the mulching attachment and mulching blades - I think they do not cut as finely as the regular blades. Sometimes I have to go over an area more than once. But the evidence of excessive clippings is not there. The thatch that is generated is minimal and it soon decays.
Do the right thing - purchase a mower (or get an attachment) that can do mulching. It is environmentally responsible.
And, this is a shot of the front yard looking from NNE to SSW. Everything is beautiful and green now. But, this will all look a little brown once the summer sets in. Like I said earlier, I do not water any more. Too expensive.
If we get a real hot summer, I'll post some pictures of my turf when it goes dormant.
Again, note all the shade. That also has an impact. Turf needs photosynthesis just like all plants. Part of that process is a requirement for light.
Like my recent post on heat tolerance, and my future post on shade tolerance, you need to find that difficult balance between turf and trees.
These two shots are from fall, 2014. The leaves are just starting to be an issue. I've already aerated, overseeded and fertilized for the winter. But, as the weather cools off, I begin to cut a little lower, much lower than during the spring and summer months. A nicely cropped yard will look real good when the snow falls.
Here are some pics from May of 2015. It is not often that my backyard looks better than my front yard. My front yard is the first pic - w/ the walkway on the right hand side of the pic.
Here are some pictures of my yard from the fall of 2015. I mean late fall. We had warm weather like up to Christmas. These pictures were taken just before the first day of winter @ 21 DEC. You can see some leaves have been chopped up (mulched) by my mower. Read my blog post, "Fall Leaf Removal". I talk about what to do about leaves and some of the options for dealing with them. Most of my leaves were removed but I still had to mow in between leaf removal visits. Heck, I usually have all my lawn care equipment winterized and stored for the winter before Thanksgiving. I was mowing almost up to Christmas this year.
Even as late in the fall growing season as these pictures were taken, I did not get full recovery from my fall aeration, overseeding and fertilization. We had a fairly dry summer and fall. It was super difficult to get those aeration cores into the hard soil. (Same with all my customers.) Although I usually recommend aeration in September, I was unable to get it done until after some rain around Columbus Day. That not only gives you little time for growth before the first frost, it also makes you run up against the close out time the law demands for fertilizer applications.
Below are some shots after my second mowing, around late April, 2016. I did all my work in the fall. I put down my fertilizer after the date of the last killing frost in my region, usually early April. Took my mower out of hibernation. Put on fresh blades and leveled the deck.
Troops,
This section will consist of many posts regarding aeration. You will not be able to tell there are multiple posts unless you check back from time to time (as you have been ordered to). Then you will say, "Gee, that topic has grown over the last couple of weeks." You gotta realize, I "craft" these posts. And, I plan them out (strategically - hooah) over time. So, like a fine wine, I will NOT post information until...it has matured...until its ready.
What is Lawn Aeration?Aeration is the process of using a mechanical, liquid, or a manual lawn aerator to aerate your lawn. Making holes in the surface of your lawn allows deeper root growth and reduces soil compaction. A lawn aerator allows air, water, and nutrients direct access to the root system. Not only does lawn aerating give you a better looking lawn, but it also thickens the turf and this promotes deeper root growth by allowing the roots to expand and grow deeper into the soil. Lawn aeration holes hold water in them which can soften hard soil and give clay soils more room for expansion. In addition, there are a few different types of lawn treatments that go well with aeration; these include thatching, fertilization, overseeding and liming. I will brief you on these other topics soon.
How often do I use a Lawn Aerator to aerate my lawn?
Most experts recommend you should aerate lawns, as a minimum, every 1 to 3 years. If you have hills, pets or active outdoor children you may even need it twice a year. The best time to fertilize and over seed is just after you aerate your lawn. For new lawns, turf aeration is very important. Most developers scrape off the topsoil when they build a new home and it can take years before that soil can be naturally healthy again. The best way to make it healthy quickly is with a lawn core aerator. Also, in many areas new lawns tend to be installed on top of hard clay. A core lawn aerator can speed up the process of soil integration by encouraging roots and grass growth. If you have bad soil, you should aerate at least once a year for the first five years you own a home. It is very effective to also fertilize and over seed right after aerating. After a lawn is established, most experts still recommend that you aerate once every three years.
When should I aerate my Lawn?
The best time to aerate your lawn (in the mid-Atlantic region) is usually in April or in late September. For Spring aeration the optimal window is March to the end of June. In the fall, it is September to October. The 'perfect time' to aerate a lawn may change according to location (See my post on turfgrass adaptation zones.). If you live in warm coastal states like California, or Florida, the perfect time to aerate could be as early as February and as late as November. For the Midwest and the south, summer is a great time to aerate. If the ground is too soft, it may not be a good time. If the ground is too hard it may need to be watered for about an hour before hand to obtain the best results with a lawn aerator. Lawns that are aerated on a regular basis may produce better plugs. Lawn aeration can be done using a lawn aerator machine, aerator shoes, liquid aeration, a tow behind aerator, or a hand aerator. If I had all kinds of time and money, I'd aerate every spring AND fall - even if I didn't overseed. Many great golf courses aerate more than once a year and they don't necessarily overseed when they aerate. They just aerate!
Do I need aeration?
If your lawn needs to be aerated, it is a good idea to know right away. The following are six tell-tale signs that your lawn could greatly benefit from being aerated.
1) If your lawn is yellow in some spots, it usually means that these areas are not getting enough water. Aerating these areas will help increase moisture penetration down to a lower level and increase root development.
2) If the water you put on your lawn runs off without soaking into the lawn it is also a good indicator that aeration will help. Hilly lawns also tend to harden up faster. A good aeration should help the water to soak in.
3) If the soil is dry or compacted it will also benefit by being aerated. Aerating the soil can allow moisture to soak in and break up hard clays.
4) If the lawn has a lot of clay in it, it may need to be aerated. Clay soils expand in the summer when they get hot and contract in the winter. Aerating them before they get hot will allow the soils to expand without contracting the delicate root system.
5) If the Lawn is yellow, this usually means that the lawn is not getting even water. Aerating the lawn will allow water and moisture to have more direct access to the root system. Over time, aerating will helps the roots break through soils and create self-sustaining turf.
6) Another good indicator that your lawn needs to be aerated is if you haven't aerated your lawn in quite a while. Most lawn experts recommend that you aerate your lawn at least once every three years. If the soil is compacted or has a lot of clay in it this may even need to be done more often.
Benefits of Fall Aeration
Since most lawns need to be aerated every year, homeowners typically choose between spring aeration and fall aeration because those are the two best times to aerate. Between March and May (April is often best) and September to October (late September is usually ideal) is the best conditions for a superior aeration job. Fall aeration provides benefits that are not seen in the spring and it may be a better time for your lawn. Consider whether your lawn would be improved by the following benefits of fall aeration.
Better dirt plugs when core aerating
The ground in fall is usually soft enough to get decent plugs but not too soft. The spring in many areas is too wet, that it can be hard to find the right time to aerate because the ground is saturated much of the time. Aerating when the ground is too soft results in holes that close-up quickly and don’t provide improved access to nutrients, water, air and fertilizer for very long.
Best time for over seeding
Because aeration creates additional space in the soil and reduces compaction, it is a good idea to over seed after aerating. Fall is the best time for over seeding because there is plenty of rain to help the new seed come in with little effort and without spring weeds.
Improved lawn drainage
Lawn Aeration is vital for good lawn drainage and helps reduce runoff. Fall aerating can be done with lime or sand to further improve drainage.
More benefits from fertilizer
It is a good idea to fertilize your lawn after aerating as more fertilizer will reach the roots. Fall aeration increases the benefits your lawn gets from both fall and winter fertilizing.
Great as part of winterizing yourlawn
Fall aeration makes it easier for your lawn to do well over the winter months and come back beautiful in the spring. A great hint for over seeding in the fall is to use a good shade seed to prevent moss growth over the winter.
Tips for Good Lawn Aeration
To get the most of your lawn aeration, take these tips to heart:
Aerate on a day when temperatures are mild.
The soil should be moist, but not wet. Wet soil catches in the hollow tines of the aerator and makes the process difficult.
If you have cool-season grasses, aerate in the fall. Lawn aeration for warm-season grasses is usually best done in the spring time.
When you aerate in the fall, don't wait until too late in the season! Make sure there are four weeks of good growing time left for your lawn to fill in the holes and make the most of your aeration efforts.
After aerating your lawn, leave the soil plugs alone for a few days to break up. You can crumble the plugs with a rake, lawn mower, or old piece of carpet dragged lightly across your lawn.
Before your first aeration, talk to a turfgrass specialist (Like Me!) about your soil type, the grass you have, and how deeply you should aerate your lawn to get the best results.
This completes the block of instruction on Aerating. Take a break and be back in your seats in one zero mikes.