Why Hire a Lawn Service for De-thatching or Power Raking
Having your lawn de-thatched by a professional lawn service is extremely valuable in keeping a beautiful yard healthy. Lawn de-thatching is an important element in the maintenance of a rich, healthy lawn. It helps the grass to grow thick and prevents any further damage caused by the thatch that has accumulated on your lawn. If you care about the health of your lawn, you have to pay attention to the thickening of the thatch layer and decide to hire a lawn service for de-thatching at the most appropriate moment.
What is thatch and why is it harmful?
The thatch is a layer of debris, moss, dead grass, stems, roots, or any other unwanted organic material that accumulates on the soil. Because thatch accumulates faster than it decomposes, the unwanted organic layer can thicken and harm the healthy grass.
A thin layer of thatch can actually be beneficial to the lawn, because it helps retain moisture. However, when the thatch layer grows, it can cause damage to your lawn. Pests and other diseases are encouraged by a thick thatch layer. Thatch can also prevent the nutrients and water from reaching the soil. In this case, removing the thatch, or de-thatching, is vital for the health of the grass. A lawn service uses a special lawn de-thatching machine to remove the unwanted organic layer from your yard.
What is the difference between lawn de-thatch and power raking?
Lawn de-thatching and power raking are two methods of eliminating thatch from the yard. They are both done with the help of the same machine. However, the two methods differ in terms of the type of blades used and the deepness of the de-thatching.
A lawn de-thatch is a more aggressive method of eliminating thatch than power raking. The machine goes deeper into the soil, and rips out the thatch, or tears it. Unfortunately, some healthy grass can also be damaged in the process.
Power raking removes the thatch only at the surface of the soil, by slicing it, instead of tearing. This is a more gentle method of removing thatch than de-thatching.
When should I de-thatch my lawn?
Because a thin layer of thatch is normal, and can be helpful to the lawn, it is important to know when the right time for de-thatching is. Usually, an excessive thatch is considered to be one that is higher than 1/2 inches. Such a thick layer of thatch is likely to provide a favorable environment for insects, pests and grass diseases that could damage the lawn. In case the thatch layer is more than 1/2 inches thick, you should consider hiring a lawn service to de-thatch or power rake your lawn.
De-thatching can be quite aggressive to the lawn, so it is necessary to choose the most appropriate moment for this procedure, so that the healthy grass in the lawn will not suffer too much. It is advisable to remove thatch from your yard before the growth peak of the grass. This way, the grass will have time to recover from the process and grow healthy and thick.
So, depending on the type of grass in your yard and the area where you live, the right moment to hire a lawn service to de-thatch your lawn could be spring or late summer.