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Why Should I Dethatched
or Power Raked My Lawn?
Dethatching
 We only recommend dethatching lawns that suffer
from an extremely thick thatch layer that is greater than three inches
thick. The reason is because dethatching causes extensive damge to
a lawn and is extremely labour intensive. If your thatch layer is less
than three inches, then we recommend aeration in the spring and fall
as the best method to reduce your thatch. Aeration pulls plugs of soil
and thatch out of the lawn and the cores of soil breakdown and populate
the thatch with millions of soil microbes that help biodegrade that
thatch naturally.
Power Raking
 Power Raking is great a way to remove the dead debri and crust that
builds up on a lawn over winter. It is also a gentle way to remove
a small amount of thatch from the lawn without causing the significant
damage that dethatching can cause.
We recommend power raking in the early spring
before new growth has begun. Power raking is also a great service to combine with overseeding,
as it opens the lawn surface so that new seed can get better established.
Power raking is a great way to thicken up bentgrass lawns. Power raking
slices the surface stolons and stimulates new growth, thickening the
lawn.
What is the Difference Between Dethatching and Power Raking?
Dethatching
Dethatching and power raking are both performed with
the same machine. The difference in the two services is how deep the
cutting knives are set on the dethatcher, as well as the type of cutting
knives used.
 Dethatching generally involves the use of flail type blades that are
designed to ripped out excessive thatch. The dethatching machine is
set low so that the blades reach into surface of the soil. If a lawn
has an excessive thatch and it is dethatched, an incredible amount
of plant material will be ripped up from the lawn. Several pickup trucks
of dead thatch can be created from an average sized lawn. The lawn
will suffer extensive damage as well, because the knives will not only
rip out the thatch, but also rip out a large percentage of the healthy
grass plants. The growing points of a grass plant are at the base of
the plant, and a lot of the growing points are damaged when a lawn
is dethatched.
Dethatching causes a lot of damage, creating a lawn that is thin, brown and
beat up. Because of this we strongly recommend that you
combine a dethatching with an overseeding/slitseeding and topdressing. Overseeding ensures that new
grass plants will quickly fill in the damaged areas in the lawn. If overseeding
is not done, weed seeds can quickly get established in the damaged areas of
the lawn. Topdressing will help the new grass seed get quickly established
and also stimulate the existing grass plants to recover from the dethatching.
Power Raking
 Power Raking generally involves using fixed knife
type blades that slice that thatch as opposed to ripping it out.
The dethatching machine is set high so that the blades just skim
the surface. Power raking does not cause the extensive damage that
dethatching does, and so the lawn recovers
rapidly and maintains it’s density.
When is the Best Time to Dethatch or Power Rake?
Dethatching
Dethatching is best
done in late summer/early fall. This allows the lawn plenty of time
to recover before winter, but also avoids the rigours of summer drought
and heat. By waiting until late summer there will also be less competition
with a variety of weeds that germinate in the spring. Dethatching
can also be done in early spring, but avoid late spring because the
lawn needs time to r ecover in order to survive the summer heat and
drought.
Power Raking
Power Raking can be done in the spring
or fall. If you are power raking to remove winter debri it is recommended
to do it before the lawn starts growing to avoid setting the lawn back
during the critical spring time growth. If power raking is being
combined with overseeding we recommend doing it in early
spring to allow the new seedlings plenty of time to get established
before the summer drought and heat. Late summer/early fall remains
the optimum time for any overseeding because you avoid the summer
heat and drought and the new seedlings do not have to compete with
the spring germinating weeds.
How Do I Order Your Services?
To get more information
or to order a dethatching or power rake
Contact
your Local Nutri-Lawn Office,
Or Request a Free
Estimate & Analysis On-Line
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