When should I dethatch my lawn in the spring?

When should I dethatch my lawn in the spring?

The best time to dethatch your lawn is when it’s actively growing and the soil is moderately moist. For cool-season grasses, that’s early spring or early fall. For warm-season grasses, dethatch in late spring through early summer (after the second mowing). That’s when your grass is growing most vigorously.

Is dethatching bad for your lawn?

Thatch can harm lawns. It’s difficult for water to penetrate a thick thatch layer, causing water to run off instead of soaking in. It can harbor insects and lawn diseases, and grass may begin growing in the thatch layer instead of the soil, producing shallow root systems and exposing it to greater temperature extremes.

What time of year should you dethatch your lawn?

For northern grass the best time to dethatch your entire lawn is in late summer to early fall when the grass is actively growing. For southern grasses, dethatch in late spring. In early spring, and for small areas, use a thatching rake, which is a sharp-tined rake that rips the thatch out of the lawn.

Should you dethatch your yard every year?

Almost every lawn needs dethatching about once a year, or whenever the thatch reaches a thickness of about 1/2 inch. To check, just work your fingers into the grass and note the depth of the thatch layer. Dethatch cool-season grasses in fall, warm-season types in early spring.

What happens if you dethatch too early?

Dethatching early in the spring may damage new crowns and to do so in early to mid-summer puts additional stress on the grass during hot, dry periods. Dethatching in mid-to-late fall is too late in the season because it leaves the grass weak and damaged during the winter and the lawn might not recover in the spring.

Should you mow before or after dethatching?

Mow the lawn a little lower than normal right before you dethatch. Make at least two passes over the lawn with the dethatcher to get all the thatch. Make the second pass at a 90-degree angle to the first.

What should I do to my lawn in April?

Spring Lawn Care Steps

1. Rake. Spring raking removes lingering fall leaves and grass blades that did not survive winter.
2. Overseed. Fill bare or thin spots in the lawn by overseeding.
3. Aerate. Vital for a truly healthy lawn, aeration is the solution for compacted soil.
4. Dethatch.
5. Weed.
6. Fertilize.
7. Water.
8. Mow.

Do you have to seed after dethatching?

After dethatching, thatch should be removed and put in the compost pile. If you do not already have a compost pile, then you should seriously consider adding one. After this has been done, high-quality grass seed.