| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
How to Rid that Lawn of Thatch!
You know that brown patchy debris in a lawn that accumulates on top of the soil but below the grass line? That's thatch. Thatch consist of grass clippings, grass stems, roots, and other debris that either decomposes or accumulates on a lawn over time. A few reasons thatch can occur are 1) A lawn has never been aerated 2) Cutting high grass frequently and leaving the clippings on a lawn. Thatch is not always a bad thing as it can hold moisture to protect the lawn from extreme heat and lack of water. Questions to be asked before removing thatch(dethatching) 1) Is there enough thatch on the lawn to justify dethatching? 2) If so, what process should I use to dethatch the lawn? Lawn business owners and homeowners need to measure the amount of thatch in a lawn to determine if dethatching needs to be done. I prefer to take a pencil and stick it in the thatch until it touches the ground.Mark the pencil with your fingernail where the thatch comes up to. After doing this a few times you will be able to eye it and know whether or not to dethatch. The first couple of times you can measure with a ruler. As a guide, anything over 1/2 inch should be dethatched as this prevents adequete nutrients, air, and water from reaching the soil. Excessive thatch can also encourage pests and lawn diseases. Dethatching can be done in 3 ways depending on the size of the lawn and the amount of thatch accumulated. 1) Aeration- For lawns that have less than an inch of thatch. This is done with an aerator. Always use an aerator that pulls plugs from the ground as opposed to the ones that poke holes. 2) Rake the lawn manually- using a leaf rake, garden rake, or thatching rake. Raking is fine for small to medium size lawns with thatch less than 1 inch. Raking does take some time, but less stressful on the lawn than a Power Rake. 3) Power Rake- Also called a Power Dethatcher. Use this when there is more than 1 inch of thatch on the lawn. Power Rakes are a stout piece of equipment that uses an engine like a lawn mower to drive vertical blades or tines to cut the surface of the soil. These blades or tines can be adjusted to certain depths. You can rent either a power rake or an aerator from Home Depot or another equipment rental store in your area. If you decide to dethatch using a power rake mow the lawn to about half of its regular mowing height. The blades of the power rake should be adjusted to cut about 1/2 inch into the soil to remove thatch. Always go over the yard twice and change direction of your paths. For example, (long ways and short ways) or (diagonal one way and diagonal the other way). After dethatching, rake up all the debris and thatch. If you would like to fertilize or reseed the lawn, this is a good time as roots are exposed. Water when you are finished dethatching. Since some power dethatching can make a yard look bad, remember to dethatch when a lawn can recover the best such as right before the prime growing seasons. Different types of grasses have best and worst times to dethatch because the growing seasons vary. Having a healthy lawn can can definitely improve the look of the landscape and the curb appeal. If you need any questions answered, please ask them at http://www.LawnForum.com so the other members can benefit. I'm here to help, Kevin Whiteside Kevin Whiteside is the owner and editor of LawnForum.com Monthly, an online newsletter for lawn and landscape professionals. Get a FREE subscription here mailto:LawnForum@aweber.com He is also the author of "Turn High Grass Into Cold Cash- How to Start the Ultimate Lawn Service" http://www.grasstocash.com/adtrackz/go.php?c=areathatch
MORE RESOURCES:
landscaping gardening - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Choosing Garden Furniture No matter how pleasant a garden is, it is not being enjoyed to its full extent if there is no where for visitors to sit and admire the beauty of the garden. Luckily, few gardeners are willing to sacrifice design for comfort and with the wide choice of garden furniture available today, it is rare to find gardens bereft of furniture. Wild Flower Garden - Yours to Design and Plan To design a wild flower garden, you do not need to be a specialist or an artist, you just need to be observant and let your creative juices flow. Look around you, what is unique about your surroundings? Do you wish to enhance or compliment these things. CO2 for Free We've all heard that there is no such thing as a 'free lunch'; well the process described in this article may be as close to one as you get. Most of us already know the benefits of CO2 enrichment for photosynthesis. 5 Pieces of Equipment Gardeners Cant Live Without Gardening is fun and rewarding and may be considered a hobby, talent or both and sometimes it's just luck. Gardening is not as easy as it looks and involves dedication, time and consistency and many trials and errors. Sunflowers Hi there,I am Jhon Saunders and recently took up gardening as a hobby. i have managed to buy cheap gardening equipment and also items such as blubs, lights etc. How To Find Cheap Flower Delivery In Your Area As humans, we are always on the lookout for a deal. Deals on flower delivery are no exception. Mosquitoes in Your Garden? Try Planting These If you are a serious gardener, you spend lots of time outdoors. And, for sure, you would rather be tending your plants than swatting mosquitoes. Fun, Funky Garden Plants I have a love for funky, fun and unique garden plants. Here's one to try. Tillandsia Airplants - Dont Plant These Plants! Watch out, it's a tillandsia! Have no fear, I said "Tillandsia," not Tarantula. Although several species of this plant genus have taken on the appearance of the ominous eight-legged spider, you can rest-assured that these plants do not bite. Feng Shui in the Garden "The Ancient Art of Placement" called Feng Shui (pronounced phung schway) literally means 'wind' and 'water.' The Chinese believe this cosmic energy, called Chi or 'the green dragon's cosmic breath,' is the life force energy that pervades human existence. Gallica Roses Very soon stocks of new season's roses will be arriving in the garden centres, if they're not already there. Indeed, to be sure of getting the most sought after varieties it may have been necessary to put an order in some time ago. Teak Outdoor Furniture - Where Function Meets Beauty The wonderful thing about choosing teak outdoor furniture is that you have such diversity. From chairs to benches to tables and more, teak is the perfect wood for outside entertaining. Letting Nature Grow Your Garden It is wisest to let Nature have Her way. Nature has her own agenda, and your life as a gardener will be easier if you bow to Her desires. Patios And Garden Pavers Is your concrete or asphalt driveway an eyesore? Do you need to create an attractive retaining wall? Although most people use garden pavers to create patios, driveways and other hardscaping elements are often created using garden pavers, as well.More and more homeowners are tearing up their cracked and stained concrete or asphalt driveways. Funky Garden Plants 2 What's a perennial garden plant that blooms in the winter? A hellebore! It is an outdoor plant that is shocking to see blooming sometimes in the snow. There are many varieties. How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will add a new dimension to your pool.When building a waterfall, as with any garden project, you must first consider the design and make a plan. Kirengeshoma palmata Kirengeshoma palmata Sometimes known as yellow waxbells, Kirengeshoma palmata is a late-flowering rhizomatous perennial up to 1.2m high with arching stems and is native to the woods and mountain lowlands of Korea and the Japanese islands of Shikoku and Kyushu. What is the Right Plant and Where Do I Put It? Know if your plants are disease-susceptible. Your choice of plants used in your garden is as important as the soil that you put those plants in. Water Ponds and Wildlife - How To Attract More Animals to Your Backyard Wildlife require water just as humans do. Water is essential for life. Ten Considerations Before You Buy A Bird House When you decide to buy one bird house or more -- be aware that there are many designs being sold that are unsuitable for the birds. These houses may not attract any birds or the types of birds you wish, or they may actually be harmful.
|
