As with other landscaping practices, there are pros and cons to dethatching lawns. Knowing these advantages and disadvantages will help you to determine whether to dethatch your lawn or not. This article will cover the pros and cons of dethatching lawn to help you make an informed decision.
What is Dethatching?
Before we learn about the pros and cons of dethatching lawn, let us define a few terms. Thatch is the dense layer of dead and living plant matter lying between the soil and grass blades. And dethatching is the process of removing excess thatch from a lawn.
A thin layer of thatch is beneficial to the lawn. It acts as a natural mulch, which keeps the soil moist and provides insulation during cold weather. It also gives you traction when you are walking on the lawn and softens the impact of your feet on the ground.
However, a thick layer of thatch impedes proper grass growth by preventing air and essential nutrients from reaching the roots. It also promotes insect infestation, which destroys the grass. Therefore, it is imperative to remove this layer so that the grass can thrive.
The Benefits of Dethatching
Thatch is beneficial for your lawn. But too much of it choke the plants, provoking the need to dethatch. There are numerous benefits to dethatching your yard. Below, we will look at a few of them.
It Enhances the Penetration of Nutrients
If you apply fertilizer on a lawn with thick thatch, chances are only a small amount of fertilizer will reach the soil. The only way to ensure that fertilizer reaches the ground is to dethatch.
Dethatching allows you to remove the excess buildup of plant material between the grass blades and soil. As a result, nutrients can penetrate the ground easily with no impediment. The nutrients promote healthy growth so that the lawn is luscious and evergreen. However, avoid over-fertilizing the lawn since it will lead to rapid thatch formation, and you will be back at it again.
It Increases the Penetration of Air, Water, and Sunlight
Plants need water, air, and sunlight to grow. However, thatch denies your lawn grass these essential needs by forming a barrier above the soil. Dethatching removes this barrier allowing unrestricted movement of water, air, and sunlight to the ground.
It Improves Soil Quality
Thatch blocks air, water, fertilizer, and pesticides from reaching the soil. It causes the soil to become anaerobic or hypoxic since it is not getting enough oxygen. The low oxygen state leads to poor root formation, which results in an unhealthy plant. It also promotes the multiplication of disease-causing microorganisms.
Dethatching helps remove the barrier making it easier for air and nutrients to reach the soil. As a result, the soil recovers from its hypoxic state and becomes healthy enough to support strong root formation.
The roots grow stronger and deeply penetrate the soil. This makes the grass less susceptible to death due to excess heat and dry conditions. It also makes it healthier and more beautiful. Therefore, grab your tools and dethatch your lawn if you notice thatch buildup.
It Reduces Vulnerability to Diseases
Thick thatch creates an anaerobic state that is great for the survival and multiplication of pathogens like bacteria and fungi. It also retains moisture and prevents pesticides from reaching the soil.
One of the most damaging fungal diseases in the grass is dollar spot disease caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa. To prevent this, dethatch your lawn and spray a potent fungicide.
Removing the excess thatch will allow the fungicide to reach the roots. It will also eliminate the excess moisture that promotes fungal growth, resulting in a healthy lawn that is less vulnerable to diseases.
It Increases the Success of Overseeding
Overseeding is the secret to a thicker and luscious lawn. It refers to the process of planting grass seeds into existing turf without digging. However, before overseeding, it is essential to dethatch the yard. Dethatching enables the new seeds to grow into the soil, where they will form healthy roots.
However, if you don’t dethatch, the seeds will germinate on the thatch layer. They will form shallow, barely healthy roots and die when exposed to tough conditions. The seeds will also germinate slowly since the thatch layer does not have all the nutrients required for faster and healthy growth.
It Improves the Beauty of Your Lawn
Thatch buildup results in an uneven lawn, causing the yard to lose its beauty and shape. So, dethatching ensures that there is uniformity in the lawn. It also allows water and minerals to seep into the soil, thus increasing the quality of your grass.
Cons of Dethatching
A thin layer of thatch is beneficial to your lawn. But when you strip it off completely or incorrectly, it can do more harm than good. Here are some of the disadvantages of dethatching your yard.
It makes the Lawn Vulnerable to Weeds
Thatch creates a barrier that prevents weed seeds from reaching the soil and forming healthy roots. It also prevents them from receiving adequate water, air and sunlight.
When you dethatch, you allow the weed seeds to access the ideal growing conditions. The weeds weaken the grass and make them prone to disease and pest infestation. They also spread quickly and ultimately take over your lawn.
It can Dry out the Soil
Thatch helps the soil retain water by preventing evaporation during hot days. Therefore, when you completely remove the thatch layer, you expose the soil to direct sunlight. It leads to increased evaporation and dry soil. As a result, you will be forced to water the lawn to keep it lush.
It increases the Vulnerability to Frost
Thatch insulates the roots during cold weather. It retains warmth and prevents cold air from reaching the soil. Therefore, when you dethatch, you remove this insulating barrier, thus leaving the lawn susceptible to frost.
It Causes Turf Injury
Dethatching is harmful, especially when done with aggressive tools like power rakes or vertical lawnmowers. Turf injury occurs when you set the blades of the dethatching tool too close to the turf.
Lawn injury also occurs when you dethatch in the spring. It damages dormant turf that may not recover from the frost damage during the winter. Some parts of the lawn may remain bare and will take a long time to recover.
The Process is Tedious and Pricey
The dethatching process is tedious and time-consuming. It is also costly since the equipment used is expensive to buy or rent. A power rake will cost you $70 to $100 to rent for half a day. You will also need to hire a professional if you cannot do it yourself, which increases the cost. A lawn professional is also a great way to get tips tricks, and additional pros and cons of dethatching lawn.
How to Prevent Consequences when Dethatching
As we have seen, dethatching comes with consequences. Luckily, most of them are preventable. Here are some ways to prevent effects and get the most out of dethatching.
Know When to Dethatch
To know when to dethatch, you can use a shovel to remove a three to four-inch deep sample. Then measure the spongy layer between the soil and grass blades. If it is more than half an inch, your lawn needs dethatching.
You can also look out for the following signs. If your lawn has any of these symptoms, it is time to dethatch.
- Weak grass blades
- Thinning grass
- Dry spots on the lawn
- Pests and insect infestation
- The ground is springy or spongy to touch
Use the Right Tools
Thatch can be removed with a vertical mower, a power, or a dethatching rake. The choice of tools depends on the size of the lawn and the amount of buildup in the yard.
A manual dethatching rake is ideal for a small lawn with a minimal thatch buildup, while a power rake is best for a larger area with dense grass and a serious thatch problem. Using the right tools will minimize turf injury resulting in a beautiful and healthy lawn.
Hire a Professional
Hiring a professional may be costly, but it is worth it in the long run. Professionals will use the right tools and apply the right technique when dethatching your lawn. They will also aerate the lawn at your request. Aeration relieves soil compaction and gives the roots more space to grow. No one knows the pros and cons of dethatching lawn a garden more than the professionals.
Prevent Thatch Build Up
Now that you know the pros and cons of dethatching law its time to learn how to prevent thatch build-up. Thatch build-up starts when the debris production rate is faster than the breakdown. Keep the leaves, and grass clippings raked after mowing to prevent extreme thatch build-up. Also, avoid using excess fertilizer to prevent rapid growth. Also, use pesticides when needed. Pesticides may kill the microorganisms responsible for thatch breakdown.
Conclusion
The key to a healthy lawn is dethatching. And like with any other gardening practice, dethatching has both positive and negative effects. However, the good outweighs the bad since some of the consequences are preventable. As long as you use the right tools and proper techniques, you will reap the benefits of dethatching. Thank you for checking out this article on the pros and cons of dethatching lawn.