DETHATCHING:

 

 

     Excessive thatch build up is usually the biggest threat to a homeowner's lawn. Thatch is composed of intermingled layers of living and dead stems, leaves and roots between the green vegetation and the soil surface. A thin layer of thatch is normal (1/2"), even healthy, since it retains some moisture in the soil and increases wear tolerance. However, a thatch layer of ½ inch or more prevents air, light, and water from reaching the turf's root zone.

 

     As thatch accumulates, there is a tendency for root growth to occur primarily in thatch layer rather than the soil. The results from a thick layer of thatch, that has weakened the root system, makes your lawn more prone to stress injury; such as excessive heat, drought, and traffic.

 

     Thatch also makes an excellent breeding ground for harmful insects and diseases (fungal).We resolve this problem by using a dethatcher (figure 1). A dethatcher is a machine that has several rotating horizontal blades (figure 2) that pulls out the right amount of thatch from the lawn. Afterwards, the excess thatch is removed from the lawn by blowers and hand rakes.

                                                                                   

 

Figure 1                                          Figure 2