So much thatch... what to do?

[Andrew]

Hi all...

So, I have a serious thatch problem. I dethatched once with an electric dethatcher this year, but the thatch seems to be practically multiplying...

Each year it's some kind of weed, or drought, or whatever... I'm beginning to lose hope here.

We will not be resodding. I have a thatch rake, but the lawn is about 1/3 of an acre and I'd like to keep my schedule and muscles intact...

Been here 19 years and the lawn has never responded positively to anything except looking nicer with a mowing... this yard really sucks.

Here are a few pics just to share our pain. Again, note this is AFTER dethatching with an electric dethatcher. I'm on the verge of doing it again; certainly seems it couldn't hurt.

Help! Any advice appreciated...

Andrew

 

[so lucky]

Thatch does eventually decompose, but it has advantages, such as enriching the soil, shading the dirt from drying out too quick, holding new seed in place so it can sprout rather than get blown away. (if the seed can get to the dirt) Have you ever applied lime, and do you fertilize your lawn? (we don't, as my DH hates the yard, and anything that would make it grow thicker or faster would be a bad thing) Maybe the issue is that the grass you have just needs a little boost.
Can you get a bag for your lawnmower, to keep from adding to the thatch quantity?

 

[Smart Red]

We have been here 40 years and have never found it necessary to de-thatch the lawn. Drought, grubs, too long between mowings, these and many others can be reasons for thatch build-up in a lawn.

What I would do is to aerate, lime, and fertilize. I suspect that would do more than another round of de-thatching. A spray of liquid weed killer will give the grass less competition. Once you get your lawn back in order, you shouldn't have to fertilize it more than once each fall unless you choose to fertilize and mow more often.

 

[thistlebloom]

Poor watering is the main cause of thatch buildup. I've never dethatched my lawn either. Of course my lawn isn't going to win any Lawn and Garden awards because it has a lot of non turf elements (aka clover and weeds) but it's thick and green and looks fine to me. And it's good to take a nap on.

 

[Andrew]

Thanks everyone - this all sounds much better than new sod

I have a few sprinklers I've rarely used... maybe it's time.

Aerate - I wish there were an easy way, but I guess I can hire someone. I did lime and use broadcast weed control.

cheers
Andrew

 

[Beekissed]

That's how my parent's lawn used to look all the time when they mowed it too often and too short, especially during dry weather. In the past 4 yrs I've convinced my mother to mow less often and mow on a higher setting and consequently her lawn is looking better and better each year.

I had to convince her to let it grow long enough to go to seed first thing in the spring, then only mow it on high from then on. This reseeds her natural grasses, doesn't damage the grass when it's young and tender and needs to maintain that strength to stay healthy, and it keeps clippings short so they fall into the grass but don't have long enough strands to choke out the sunlight from young shoots coming up.

Then I convinced her to mow it less and less as it gets hotter...the grass is under stress during that time and cutting it can cause it to die and look brown and sparse. In short, we are now treating the lawn like a pasture and not letting it get "over grazed" by the mower in the spring and fall, and during the more droughty times of summer we don't graze it much at all...maybe on extreme high to cut any weeds down but not to clip the grass.

Her lawn is looking better and better each year, though she doesn't have good soils or a good quality grass here. It takes time but it's definitely looking greener, less patchy, and the better grasses are being allowed to reproduce instead of the weedy things. To me it's night and day difference from how it used to look when they mowed, mowed, mowed it into submission and kept it scalped like a golf course.

I'd take all the advice above but I'd also mow less and on a higher setting, paying attention to certain times of year(spring and fall) when the grass is seeding the most and I'd allow it to do that before mowing the seed heads, then I'd let it grow taller in the hottest months to shade the new, tender shoots and not stress the grass crowns by mowing them when they are under-hydrated.

 

[Andrew]

Happy to report... used the electric dethatcher, raked everything away, watered a little - not much - put down weed & feed, had a few storms (sadly, more on that in another post)... and... voila.

June 7 - June 24.

Looks like a lot of light green new grass!

There are still annoying, baseball-sized weeds with pointy green leaves. I'm not sure if I should just mow them down or apply some type of weed & feed again?

thanks,
Andrew

 

[thistlebloom]

Looks good Andrew! Much better!
Are you not watering much because you're getting rain? Turf grasses require about an inch/week. It's best to apply it at one time so that the grass roots have the moisture down below them to grow down into. Deep infrequent watering is best.

I wouldn't use a weed & feed product because trees and shrubs take it up systemically too and they are damaged by it. Rather spot treatment, or a contact weeder sprayed on is better.

 

[Smart Red]

You should wait a bit before applying another round of weed & feed. Or, you could get one of the liquid weeders and spray that on the offending weeds. Fertilizer applications should be done 4 times a season if you want a picture perfect yard.

I prefer the fall application over all others and maybe I will do a spring one if the weeds are threatening to over-take the grass. For most weeds, mowing will eventually do them in without herbicides, but some of those nasties are adapting to growing in (my) lawns.

 

[Smart Red]

Picture perfect does not describe any part of my lawns.