Dethatching

Call 253-863-5296 for Dethatching Services

Many homeowners don't know about the benefits of having a lawn dethatched or how often it should be done. So first let me explain what thatch is. Thatch is a layer of living and dead grass clippings, shoots, stems, and other organic debris like leaves or wood fibers. Thatch is not always a bad thing, but excessive thatch build up can starve your lawn of the nutrients and water it needs to thrive. The build up occurs when the lawn produces more organic debris than can be broken down. This build up can be limited by mowing your lawn on a frequent schedule and not cutting more than 1/3 of the overall grass blade length, we recommend weekly lawn mowing service to achieve this.

Although some thatch is good for your lawn, too much can result in extensive root damage and harbors a large population of disease-causing organisms and insects. One way to limit thatch build up in your lawn is have your lawn fertilized properly with soil testing to determine the ph of the soil. Soil that is acidic discourages thatch decomposition. If your soil is acidic a lime treatment can raise the ph and increase the thatch decomposition. There is no set schedule for having your lawn dethatched as every yards needs are different. Generally speaking in this part of Washington we recommend having your lawn dethatched every two years. If your yard received excessive watering, fertilization or is not mowed weekly you may need to have your lawn dethatched more frequently. Having your lawn core aerated every year as recommended by Amazing Landscape Services will also help reduce thatch in your lawn.

Benefits of Dethatching:

• Healthy root growth
• Improved fertilization & weed control effectiveness
• Improved water uptake by lawn
• Reduced water runoff