93.8% of Homeowners SKIP THIS STEP. Don't Be One of Them.
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- Опубліковано 9 тра 2023
- A lush, green lawn is a beautiful addition to any outdoor space. However, even the most well-maintained lawns can become susceptible to thatch buildup. Thatch is a layer of dead grass, leaves, and other organic material that accumulates on the surface of the soil over time. While some thatch can be beneficial for the health of your lawn, too much can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the roots, leading to a weak and unhealthy lawn. This is where dethatching comes in.
Dethatching, also known as "thatch removal," is the process of removing excess thatch buildup from your lawn. This is typically done using a specialized dethatching machine or a power rake, which slices through the thatch and lifts it away from the soil surface. By removing excess thatch, you can help promote healthy grass growth and prevent lawn diseases.
But how do you know if your lawn needs to be dethatched? The general rule of thumb is THAT if your lawn's thatch layer is more than half an inch thick, it's time for dethatching. However, it's important to note that some types of grass, such as Bermuda grass, naturally produce more thatch than others. In these cases, dethatching may need to be done more frequently.
It's also worth noting that dethatching is not the same as scarifying, verticutting, or power raking, although these terms are often used interchangeably. While all of these processes involve removing thatch from your lawn, they differ in the level of aggressiveness and the equipment used.
Scarifying is a process that involves cutting through the thatch layer and the soil surface using a specialized tool called a scarifier. This process is typically used to remove moss, weeds, and other debris from the lawn, as well as to promote healthy grass growth.
Verticutting is similar to scarifying, but it involves using a machine with vertical blades to cut through the thatch and the soil surface. This process is more aggressive than scarifying and is typically done to remove heavy thatch buildup and promote deep root growth.
Power raking, as the name suggests, involves using a power rake to remove excess thatch from the lawn. This process is typically less aggressive than scarifying or verticutting and is often used for routine lawn maintenance.
So why is dethatching so important for the health of your lawn? As mentioned earlier, excessive thatch buildup can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the roots of your grass. This can lead to a weak and unhealthy lawn, as well as an increased risk of lawn diseases. Dethatching can help promote healthy grass growth by allowing water and nutrients to penetrate the soil surface and reach the roots.
In addition to promoting healthy grass growth, dethatching can also help improve the overall appearance of your lawn. A thick layer of thatch can give your lawn a spongy or spongy feel and make it more difficult to mow. By removing excess thatch, you can help restore your lawn's natural texture and make it easier to maintain.
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I like how the dog follows you around when mowing.
I always wondered what that rake was for in my grandpa's garage. He never made me use it. He was a good man.
Thatch is nutrient dense. I compost mine in the fall, and then use the compost to fill in low spots in the spring!
Why spend all that time dethatching your lawn, if you're going to reuse the dead grass to fill in the low spots? If you have low spots on your lawn, get some lawn soil and overseed it. The dead grass and other debris are supposed to be disposed of, not recycled. That's what dethatching is for! A person doesn't dethatch their lawn and put the dead grass right back on it afterwards.
@@slimdude2011Don’t go showing your lack of knowledge of the composting process all at once now, dear…
Wow, that is perfection! There’s no better example of natural healthy circular ecology than that! 💚
@@Mrs.LadeyBug If I were to use compost on my lawn, I wouldn't use dead grass.
Pretty clever, I'll make a note.
my latest problem in the backyard was recognizing, identifying & spraying for some nasty & invasive weeds. one was lesser celandine & the other is some kind of grassy weed that was hiding among the healthy grass & really took off while undetected. I haven't dethatched in a while, but next Sept & Oct when I start my Fall maintenance routine, I will absolutely be dethatching the backyard to clean out those dead weeds & also the newer ones that will want to come back again.
I got to use my Groundworks dethatcher on some trouble spots last night after the mow- these spots were too hard to get with the tow-behind, and I know I went over them like 5 times. The Groundworks took it right up!
The Groundskeeper rake also is good if you want to spot clean any trouble spots, or stimulate dog spots.
It depends on the type of grass! You don’t want to ever dethatch St. Austine grass, which is commonly used in Southern Lawns!
Same with Bermuda.
Love you videos. You speak like youre talking to someone who that has no idea what youre talking about. PERFECT!
Stumbled on this video. Don’t have a lawn but wow your videos are a lesson in clarity and being concise!
Thanks a lot to the cameraman and the presenter for good quality presentation and explanation. 🙂
Man i love how simple u keep it while providing great info…
Awesome video. Well layed out, easy to follow and to the point explanation. And everything you talk about comes with its own demonstration. Fantastic job! Well deserved sub.
👍 Just bought a used BillyGoat power rake, same one you showed. It is definitely aggressive, but so much faster than my corded sunjoe on 11,000 sq ft. Finally snow free here in Fairbanks, AK.
Great video and Well spoken. I own a Sun Joe Dethatcher and I needed a thorough explanation.
That's amazing, I never expected all of that to be under the grass. My grass is so thick and so lumpy in spots. I have zoysia gras, which is supposed to be drought-resistant etcetera however it takes a ton of water to get it nice and lush. Thinking about getting one of these for this coming spring.
Thanks from New Zealand. One the best video i hv seen so far..
I dethatched with a modified blade on my lawnmower, works great.
Love your videos
I didn't realise how much I needed this video in my life. Thank you 👍
Incredible, I'll definitely give dethatching a go! I did notice mowing more often filled in lawn gaps but never tried detaching, I'm sure it'll really even things out further.
I been lost with the myriad options of these dethatchers now I know better. Thanka for this video ❤
The Best video about dethatching on UA-cam. I did however use the old style for 8 HOURS on the in laws yard one time. Now 15 years later being 55ish not doing that again. Renting a dethatcher thingy. Thanks for the best. 👍🍺
That last line alone earns a subscribe! Thanks for the info.
these are the best videos on lawn care on youtube, cant believe how long it me to get here
I got really good results with the SunJoe by dethatching and then following up with a second pass with the scarifier. I agree that the scarifier doesn't pull up as much thatch but the scarifier helps with overseeding. I did this last fall and my wife asked "Why did you scalp the yard?!" This spring the yard came back twice as thick and I have had neighbors and walkers stop to complement me and asked what I did. The SunJoe is a great homeowner product, IMO.
I love it . Bought it in the spring .
Never had to detatch my yard. Never had thatch in my yard. have detatched a client's yard, a couple dead spots we reseeded, just used a rake. Now less then 1 yr later, you'd have no idea last summer they were brown spots of dead grass.
This is why I always mulch my grass, cut regularly, keeps thatch from building up and instead feeds your lawn for free.
I never dethatch too. Core aerate and/or just put down gypsum. I always mulch unless we have rain for several days.
I took your advice and purchased an electric corded model and I was very surprised on how well it worked!!
Great explanation on the differences and the processes to perform the job. Your channel has a wealth of knowledge for the DIY enthusiast. Keep up the great work 💪🏼
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Thank you for this great video. I think I may not should be simply pulling the thatched grass out. I was thinking I needed to aerate yet now I may consider option #2.
You always motivate me to be better at taking care of my lawn. Thanks for great lawncare content. Sweet dog.
I use thatch for mulch on my raised bed gardens. They do an excellent job and at the start of early spring the next year, you can dig it into the beds to add organic material.
I used to do this yearly on my lawn. I got compliments every year from my neighbors that my lawn looked the best on the block. I didn't think I was trying all that hard, just doing typical yard maintenance. I would also run an aerator over the lawn and then fertilize/water that week. The lawn would look a nice green and take far less water.
Young man, awesome, detailed and informative video. Thank you for sharing!
Finally an amazing video to explain the debate!!! Jesse you the man bro 👊🏾😂😂😂 and I love your dog he just wants to help his best friend 😩😊👊🏾🔥🙏🏾🤙🏾
Thanks for always watching bro! Best dog I've ever had. He just always wants to be apart of the action 😂
I have that electric machine and it works really good but like you said, it takes a little time to clean up. Thanks, good information 👍
Thanks for the super-useful video! The combination of background information and advice is perfect.
Very well presented and packed with useful information. Well done.
I've been watching King of the Hill lately and gosh dang it I need to get my lawn game on point. Your videos are top notch and I can't wait to get my little plot of grass to be the best on the block!
I used a greenworks electric dethather years ago. Sure it worked ....but I have a bigggg yard. I ended up buying a lawnmower dethathing blade. Works great and was simple to install on your existing mower. Plus the blade was only $20ish.
The Groundskeeper II rake is an excellent tool for this process as well, very light, easy to use and does a fantastic job.
Does it work well for removing dead moss?
@@NordicDan yes, it works well. Handy tool to add, works great for mulching too
it's a beast
I’ve used my metal rake that I use for my leaves in the fall. I have a small yard so it’s not terrible. But even that makes a difference. I still manage to rake up a lot. Grass is nice and green.
Now that I know this is an actual thing, I might just have to grab a proper tool.
It’s nice when you randomly find useful videos on UA-cam. I haven’t been searching for anything grass related, so this was a good recommendation UA-cam. Maybe it was just “Dad” related things since it’s almost Father’s Day.
The best thing I did for my lawn was purchase the electric Sun-Joe thatcher that comes with the scarifier. I could not believe how much deadness I brought up on the highest setting. I now do it late winter or early spring and my lawn is the best it looked. Great video LAWN.
Am definitely realizing i should have done this, this year. Thanks for the info!
Thank you so much! You answered a lot of my questions with your informative video.
Great Video Jesse! between the US and the UK it can get real confusing what it means to scarify/verticut/dethatch i think you did a great job clearing that up. nice to see that you guys are out of the snow! 🤣
Snow is a thing of the past. I'm fricken sun burnt now 😂 can't win! 😂😂 Thanks for watching bro!
Haha, best outro! Just wanted to comment to say thanks for the clear explanation. I went with a corded one like you showed with the interchangeable dethatcher/scarifier, about to give it its first go.
Excellent video!
I have a Greenworks dethatcher, it works well and lifts truly epic amounts of dead grass. I am in Colorado, a fertilizer that works well in my semi arid area is dried poultry waste. From a chicken's ass to my grass! As it should be, "DPW" is cheap if you buy an off brand. I figure DPW is truly a commodity, no need to by the expensive "Revive" version that is popular here. A 40 pound bag of the off brand stuff is about $11.50.
The regimen is to dethatch and then put a good thick layer of DPW on. The beauty of manure type products is they won't burn your lawn or force the grass to grow rapidly like chemical fertilizers do.
What ever you want to call it, the explanations were right on. I use to use the hand thatch rake on my 1800 sq ft lawn twice a season for years and always dreaded it. The results were worth it though. Got the Greenworks 4 years ago and it was a game changer. The scarifier and verticutter attachments for the Allett are too expensive now a days and might just invest in a SunJoe which has both attachments
The manual dethatcher is a good workout at least 😂 Allet and Swardman are crazy with their pricing. I'll never own any of their equipment because of the price tag alone. I'm sure they're fine tools, but the mower price plus cartridges are insane. Not for me.
I did a heavy dethatch and then scarfied it hired a guy to aerate it and then I heavily seeded it and added a really nutrient rich top soil. I can not believe how well it worked. I water every 3days and its 33c in Canada currently. Not brown grass blade yet. really makes a difference to get the soil prepped
which part of Canada?
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I like your adding of the office clips to the back of your sunjoe. I HATE the bag but I could never figure out a good way to keep the flap open without have rocks nail me in the shins. I'll give the clips a try.
The Best advice ever. I bought a Sunjoe last spring. Did my lawn, then hit it with milorganite and ironite last year. Did it again in April, and this year I’m the most hated dude in the subdivision because nobody has a lawn like mine. It looks like astroturf.
I have a dethatching bar with a single spring tine at each end, that swaps out the cutting blade in my standard push lawnmower. It works well and gets a good amount of thatch out of the lawn.
I have been using the same type for years, works great! I start at the side and work my way to center of lawn, then put on regular blade & grass catcher, set the mower low, suck up all the thatch. I also use de-thatcher blade in the fall. Instead of raking up the leaves I power rake them & leave them laying until I do the grass in Spring.
Informative video! Appreciate the explanation of different methods and tools used
This is a good explanation on dethatching/verticutting/scarifying - though as far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong), can't be done on buffalo type grasses which rely heavily on surface runners, as it causes more damage than fixing. I have such a type grass; and frequently do aeration, but haven't scarified, or dethatched (I did one small section and it is slowly coming back after 2+ years). Battery tools also can't handle it either as they're quick to cut out. Any further recommendations on this; if it should/should not be done?
Buffalo is far more popular in Australia than the US due to drought tolerance, so can appreciate if it isn't often used.
Very clear thanks for the great video and explaining.
What do you think if I pick up the dead grass with a grass sweeper?
Guess it would still be dethatching time in MN, 😂 thanks for the video, I always enjoy a “satisfying” dethatch session! 👍🏻👊🏻
Always behind everyone else 🙃 I need to start making videos three weeks ahead of time for what I'd be doing in my own lawn 😂
I would have added to not do this too early in the spring, or when it’s wet. I did both and tore up my lawn a little. However about 6 weeks later it’s recovered and looking great
How do you know when is too early, and when to start dethatching in spring?
I love that your dog just follows you about.
As an experiment , I mulched a carpet of maple leaves laying on our lawn in the fall. Left a wet mushy layer of it on the lawn. This spring, our lawn was thick green and weeds were minimal. Who knew?
I have a empire Zoysia front yard and princess Bermuda back yard. I always scalp and then burn in early spring… I don’t have an issue with thatch and understand that not everyone has the option of burning…. By late spring early summer, …lawn domination!
This is awesome! Thanks for the explanation in differences.
Thanks for watching Eli! I appreciate it!
Used a manual dethatcher once and a man drove past my house, stopped then reversed. He asked what kind of rake I was using bc he noticed a big difference from what I had done already and the part yet to do. It was a small yard but boy my side muscles were ever sore for about a week after. Gave the dethatcher to my neighbour when I moved. He was quite happy with it.
you are a great teacher!
I bought one of the machines and it’s AMAZING
Thank you !
I have the manual dethatcher and it it backbreaking. And even more so if you are on the taller side because even though the blades angle is adjustable but if you are tall you may have to still bend over to get the blades tips to dig in. Also if your lawn has a lot of uneven spots or patches unwanted rooted growth, it gets caught up on and you have to give it a yank and it isn't as easy as just going back and forth smoothly like in the video.
I want to get the affordable electric ones but I just don't have the space for it.😥
Wow. Super helpful. Thanks!
This is so cool! This guy rocks!
Good video, I have the Sunjoe but have never used the scarifier but maybe I will for the mossy areas. Its def a huge time commitment
This was great! Much Appreciated!
I don't take care of the lawn or even like lawns, but this video is well presented and potentially useful
Thanks for a GREAT explanation on the thatching tools. I live in NW Montana about 30 miles from Glacier. Fell in love with the house and views when I bought it but failed to recognize the HUGE lawn around it. It's 3 acres (who does that?) I try to hire out someone every year and it's a crap shoot on how effective they are when I can find someone. The mowers with tines are not very effective. After 15 years I'm tired of the struggle each year so.....what equipment do you recommend for me to purchase so I can do this myself every year? I know it will be large and heavy but I pay out $300 plus each spring for someone to come and do it. Any thoughts? Lastly, I thatch in spring; do you recommend one season more than the other and is once a year enough? Thanks so much.
I live in Houston, we have St Augustine grass in our yard and people said we don’t need to dethatch this type of grass. Is this true?
Thank you.
Great video man. Good info and a quality video production.
Great video, and the breakdown of dethatching equipment. What is missing is types of grass which shouldn't be dethatched...
Are there types of grass that shouldn’t be dethatched? Around here our grass is all pretty much generic.
Buffalo, St Augustine...
Dude, you're amazing :) Thanks for all the knowledge
Great tips thanks.
I dethatch every 3 years and my lawn looks great. I think every year is a little over kill, but hey if your yard looks great then do what works
THANK YOU sir!
It helps to know WHY thatch builds up in lawns as well. One of the leading reasons is over fertilizing. If you're careful about how much you fertilize you typically won't have to worry about thatch buildup at all.
Spot on I thacth every season and my lawn has been green and thick. Thacth,overseed,milorganite,water.
How do you know when to start dethatching in spring? You throw down seed as soon as your done dethatching? And then put down Fertilizer immediately after the seed? Just trying to understand your process! Thanks!
Nice video, I've dethatched my lawn every Spring for the last 35 years and find it to be the most beneficial thing I do to my lawn, bar none. As this video states, it removes a huge barrier of waste and opens up / wakes up your grass in the spring. I've also used all of the gadgets and machines mentioned in this video, and personally found the gas powered power rake to be the best. It's aggressive but you can easily adjust it to the level you want. It does wonders. And after you finish the look of your lawn is not very good, it's totally beat up. But a good feeding of pre-emergent and slow release fertilizer and you lawn recovers in 2-3 weeks. Highly recommend it...
Hi! When do you know when to start dethatching in spring? And do you put down pre-emergent before or directely after dethatching? Thank you in advance!
@@AnonymousGameWarden I look for a period of consecutive dry days beginning in the last week of February. It's better if the ground is dry. Some years it was in late March before I was able to do it. And I apply pre-emergent / fertilizer immediately following the dethatching / cleanup. Don't worry if the lawn looks rough, it will after dethatching. It will recover nicely in the following weeks. good luck...
I have an old mower that I put a thatching blade on. Works awesome! Afterwards I run around with my nice bag mower and suck old grass off of lawn. Works easy, and great results. I believe the blade with an extra set of springs are $20-30.00 Cheap!
Nice job. I learned from this video.
I dethatched and scarified my front yard for probably the first time since this house was built in 1956. I had sixteen 30 gallon paper bags full of dead grass and hopefully thatch when done. At first I tried raking it all up but settled for running the mower over it and emptying the mower bag into the Lowes 30 gallon bags. I'm pretty sure that when I do this again next spring I'll have 16 more bags of lawn crap.
We do are yard every few years and may be doing it this summer
Love your dog
3:28 -- I have one of these... different brand, but identical head and little crescent tines. If you've never used one, it's basically like detangling a little girl's hair, except that hair is the lawn. The thatch doesn't come up easily, you have to tug it out with effort. And because the grass is resisting, it'll jerk the handle in your hand, and even very, very small jobs require you to wear gloves.
Dethatching my small lawn with one of these did three things:
1 - I couldn't believe how much I got up. It just kept coming up.
2 - It made me despise my side-discharge mower.
3 - It made my lawn super healthy and hardy that season, whereas it seemed very, very sluggish for a few years before.
Another commenter said that St. Augustine grass should never be dethatched. This makes sense because it sends out runners on top of the ground with shallow roots which would be easily damaged by the process. I live in Mississippi and have this kind of grass, but I also have a heavy layer of thatch, especially after the drought last summer and much of the grass died. It actually looks terrible with many dead, brown spots. I would like to hear from our intrepid video maker if he has any suggestions.
Well detailed and clear video, so which method do I do first or only one method as this has never been done on my lawn before. Do it once, or twice, different direction or always same direction ??
I used my sun joe scarifier to scorch the earth. I removed so much debris. I alsonused the scarifier to roto till the top soil. I added fertilizer and then i will seed.
I have the tow behind one, I found another by the side of the road someone was tossing out, took the tins off it and installed them where there was not one, so now my pull behind has double the tins it had originally, I also have the sun Joe scarifier I got from a yard sale, I enjoy the pull behind one, I put on my head phones, light a cigar and pop open a beer and rake up and down and sideways,on an angle, Clean it up and like u said, it looks torn up, but with a little rain and sun, it comes back to life quickly, great video, thanks
Yeah there's something about dethatching that is so peaceful. Don't know what it is. It's nice to have a good buzz by the time you actually have to clean up the mess though 😂 Thanks for watching!
@@LAWNLIFE 😂 keep up the good videos!
Great video! When you ran over the thatch with your tractor, to pick it up, what height did you have the deck? Just curious, my highest setting is 4 inches, will it still pick up the thatch.
Excellent video. 🎉
I own the sunjoe but if you have bermuda grass if you scalp it down to the dirt at the start of spring or green up you dont have to do this cus scalping gets all this in the first place, but if you don't scalp this is a must👍👍👍👍
I did it manually, small lawn, and it’s easily the most satisfying lawn activity ever 😂. FYI, first pass sucks, but once you get a see saw motion going it becomes rather therapeutic 🤙🏽😎🖤🐓. Lawn looks fkn amazing ☝️
Man, I just moved to Fort Worth, TX and my yard is fully shaded and sloped…and is mostly dirt right now. I’ve been researching solutions and came across this video. Unreal. You clearly know your $h!t. I’m most impressed with your communication and ability to express your ideas. I know very little about this stuff, but everything you said makes sense. Love it. Thanks, brotha. Appreciate the knowledge.
your grass has work to do, so dont cut it as short as some of the lawns you see. get the right grass seed and watering its all downhill from there ;)
Don't cut your lawn short. People get wrapped up on looks (short) when longterm it's crap.
Long grass is healthy and resilient
Manual thatcher not for the faint of heart but best arm and chest workout ever. Bonus is a gorgeous lawn. Did Manual thatching today, and it almost killed me, totally exhausting. But my lawn and arms look great 😮😅 already.
a sweeper is great for picking up the dead grass and it gives the grass a nice comb
How do you prop open the rear cover of your Sun Joe? Would way to keep the debris from accumulating in huge clumps under the machine. Thanks!