De-thatching And Power Raking | Canadian Property Stars

What is De-Thatching and Power Raking?

In a nutshell, de-thatching (also known as “power raking”) is the process of mechanically removing excess thatch and/or moss from the base of your lawn.

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Overview

Thatch is a layer of grass stems, roots, clippings, and debris that settle on the surface of your lawn’s soil and either slowly decompose and/or accumulate over time. A thin layer of thatch is natural and a positive thing. It keeps a lawn healthy by insulating against temperature extremes, slowing water loss, and curbing the growth of weeds. It also forms a layer of cushion that helps your lawn tolerate foot traffic. But your lawn can accumulate too much thatch, which can weaken the health of your turfgrass. First of all, too much thatch blocks the lawn’s roots from growing as deeply as they should. When grass roots spread in the thatch layer – rather than the soil below – the lawn is vulnerable to drying out. A thick thatch layer also prevents water and nutrients from getting to the roots that are deeper in the soil. Thatch can even promote disease by holding in too much moisture and harboring harmful insects.

A thatch build-up problem is not an automatic consequence of a healthy, consistently growing lawn. Applying compost and other organic fertilizers stimulates biological activity that controls thatch development. Healthy soils also host and generate large populations of micro-organisms that consume thatch as fast as it is created. However, certain types of turfgrass species popular in Canada such as Kentucky bluegrass are more prone to thatch development. For this reason, your thatch layer should be examined every year to determine if de-thatching should be performed. When the thickness of your thatch layer exceeds ¾ of an inch, your lawn has too much thatch. In many cases de-thatching can be required once per year.

The good news is that there is mechanical equipment available on the market for purchase or for hire to help homeowners eliminate excess thatch – hours of raking, followed by blisters and sore shoulders, is not the only solution! The rotating blades of a mechanical de-thatching machine (also known as a “Power Rake”) can quickly and thoroughly take care of your thatch problem and all that is left to do is to rake up and bag the unwanted fluffy thatch. Homeowners using a mechanical de-thatching machine for the first time should not be worried by the distressed look of their lawn. A thorough removal of thatch will leave your turf looking beat-up but it will soon recover.

In Canada’s Wet (West) Coast, excessive moss proliferation is a common lawn-based problem. The high amount of precipitation acidifies the soil, which unfortunately creates the ideal growing condition for moss. If left unchecked, the moss can take over – potentially choking out your turfgrass altogether. In addition to neutralizing the acidic condition of your soil by applying lime multiple times per year (we recommend the Dolopril lime formulation due to its ease of application), a de-thatching machine offers a very effective way to remove the moss from your lawn so that the grass can re-establish itself. However, please note that it’s very important that you repeatedly apply the lime if your lawn soil remains acidic otherwise the moss will surely make its return.

Why is De-Thatching or Power Raking Performed?

Simply put, de-thatching is a recommended lawn care service for the numerous direct and indirect benefits both to your lawn’s health but also the health of the ecology and your household budget!