Lawn maintenance isn't as simple as seeding your yard and watering regularly. If you want a lush, green lawn — and you do or you wouldn't have grass at all — it's necessary to get a little more in-depth with your lawn maintenance. Two tasks can significantly improve the health and appearance of your lawn, dethatching and aerating. These lawn maintenance tasks don't have to be performed all the time, but keeping on top of them will keep your lawn healthy and lush:
What is Dethatching?
First of all, you need to know what thatch is. It's the layer of leaves, stems, and roots that lie between the root system and the aboveground shoot. It's a tightly-woven layer that provides the cushioning when you walk on your lawn. According to the Lawn Institute, up to ½-inch of thatch is desirable, but anything more requires dethatching. The dethatching process involves using a machine or rake to cut up and loosen the thatch layer. The dethatching machine features vertical blades that spin.
Advantages of Dethatching
While a thin layer of thatch creates cushioning and even mulch, a thick layer can prevent water and fertilizer from reaching the soil. Dethatching removes that impediment. It also allows sunlight to reach the lower blades of grass. If your thatch layer is too thick, you can have an uneven grass surface with a "scalped" appearance, meaning the mowing exposes bald patches. Dethatching your lawn every year or two allows the thatch layer to remain at an optimal thickness while still promoting a lush lawn.
What is Aerating?
As you walk over your lawn, the ground underneath becomes compacted. This creates poorly-draining soil that also squeezes the grass roots. The lawn will start to look thin if the soil is compacted. Aeration creates holes in the ground, which creates space for the grass roots. The two main methods for aerating are punching holes in the ground and pulling plugs out. Of the two, pulling plugs out is the better option because punching holes can just create more compaction lower down. A relatively new method is aerovating, which involves punching vibrating tines into the ground — the vibration loosens up the soil.
Advantages of Aerating
If your lawn is getting thin and patchy, or you notice rain or irrigation creating puddles, it's probably time to aerate. As with dethatching, aeration should be done every year or two. Loosening up the soil enhances the soil's water and fertilizer distribution. It also improves the air exchange between the soil and atmosphere. Likewise, your lawn can become more tolerant to heat and water stress. Overall, regular aeration keeps your lawn thick and green.
Perform annual checks on whether your yard needs dethatching and aerating for a lush, healthy lawn. Contact a company like Pattie Group, Inc for more information and assistance.
Share22 July 2017
About a year ago, I realized that part of the reason the plants in my yard kept dying was the fact that they were planted in the wrong places. I didn't pay much attention to which plants needed certain amounts of light, and it was costing them their lives. Several of the plants were really struggling to live, and it was really hard to see. I realized that if I ever wanted to make things right, I would need to create a landscaping plan that would work well for the natural landscape of my yard. This blog is all about understanding landscaping.
