I am amazed at how thatch comes out every time I do it! Detaching is amazing, I live in New England and over the years have detached in spring, early summer and I never had any issues.
Nice video. Great info for a homeowner. Im in Wisconsin and the "terminology" dethatching is what it called however most people dont really know or have seen true thatch. The process to break that down is with a vertical mower by verticutting or scarifier. Both are destructive processes but should only be used when true thatch is found. True thatch can be deceptive however the best way to simply describe it is by having grass try to grow thru a wool blanket on the ground. The blanket is the true thatch that really cant be effectively broken up by spring tine methods. True thatch is usually over 1/2" thick and sits below the crown and on top of the soil layer. It prevents sun, moisture and fertilizer from doing the job intended. What is mostly done here under the umbrella word of dethatching is basically a raking of the lawn by mechanical methods. Its more of a visual but some of the debris that isnt true thatch is lifted and can be vacuumed and removed making a lawn look combed and visually appealing after a winter where the top layer is pressed down from the snow. I do agree that true dethatching should be done when active growing is happening. However this type of work that is done here can be done in early spring when new chutes are just getting started. Obviously frozen or wet ground is a no go. I have been doing this commercially here for 28 years and the dethatching and spring clean time is crazy and also profitable from a commercial operators viewpoint. Thanks for sharing the good info for the homeowner.
After reading this I'm thinking I don't need to dethatch. Maybe aerate? I would describe my lawn as thinning. I can see dirt between the blades of grass. What would you recommend. My lawn is 35-40 yrs old. We live in the middle of CA where it gets very hot and dry in the summer. Thanks
@@craftablegoodies I have a few things for you to consider. First off is what soil are you dealing with? If your soil is of poor quality or is very sandy then aeration is not really going to be beneficial and may hurt as it opens the lawn to air, drying the soil. Aeration is best in spring or fall when it is cooler and wetter. Also it is very good for clay soil. I would think that you can bring in some topsoil and topdress the lawn, and overseed making sure to get good seed to soil contact and make sure you water it well until germination. Also use a good starter fertilizer like 10-10-10. After established dont mow until its about 4 inches and then only take a half inch or so off. Let it grow high as you can tolerate to increase root growth and preserving moisture along with not letting things completely get dusty dry. Spring is near, get your order in?
Best video that I’ve watched on this topic by far. I was headed out to dethatch my cool season grass that was wet and I would have hurt it. I’m going to wait until fall now. Thanks
Thank you for the kind words, Brian! I prefer to dethatch in the fall as well. Most of the time in the spring, the grass that looks like it needs to be dethatched is just still dormant.
Great video! In my area in Wi, people are absolutely obsessed with dethatching in early-early spring. They all use the “power rake blades” on their mowers and tear the crap out of their yards. If I dethatch, I do it in fall to avoid the weed pressure like you mentioned. The old timers look at me like I’m the crazy one lol.
Thanks for the comment, Jonny! Honestly, I made this video because I saw countless landscapers dethatching dormant grass in my area too. I appreciate your feedback!
I've noticed the same. A guy down the street, just a couple of days ago, tore the heck out of his lawn with the bladed system. It's expected to be mid 80s all next week and no sign of rain. He may regret his decision, but I'm no expert . They say fall is best for cool season grasses, but I've seen it pulled off in spring. My father did it that way and had a glorious lawn. Also kept up with mowing, fertilizing and such. To each's own.
Buddy, I learned that the hard way... my legs and back were sore for a week after dethatching with a rake, and I still didnt do nearly as good as a mechanized dethatcher
NICE! I just bought the green works dethatcher 😊 I’m planning on dethatching, then laying down weed and feed, then seeding over my existing lawn… which is barely existing since the last owners used a grass type that cannot handle the sun and heat that my lawn deals with. Thank you so much for the info! ☺️
@@lakehouselawncare1755 and it comes with two attachments to both rake and scarify ! I bought mine 4 years ago and saved a lot of cash not needing to rent a gas one and it does a much better job than those $2000 dollar rental machines ! Just don't use the tiny catch basket and mow it all up !
A little bit late to the party, but just found your channel and subscribed. I am here in Lexington, NC and just over seeded (TTTF.....got some amazing seed for this process). But, before I did that, I dethatched. With an old rake. Man, there was a ton of material (as expected). I will not over seed if I have not done a dethatch before hand. Too much "interference" for the new seed to make that much-needed "seed-to-soil" contact. Your list of seven is spot on. Job well done.
Central Texas here - Last year (2023), i was mowing into December. When spring came this year, I had a lot of dead grass because the clippings didn't break down.
My personal mistake #8: Not wearing PPE. My greenworks dethatcher tore up so much dead grass (scorched grass that didn't come back after winter) and the wind blew it in my face, I ended up with a very bad respiratory infection that lasted 3 weeks (+2 more weeks with a cough). Doc said there may have been fertilizer or bacteria in it that I inhaled too much of. ...#9, If you have uneven ground, dips or holes, the tines of the dethatcher will go deeper than expected if a wheel dips and brings the cylinder closer to the ground. I ended up scalping a few spots :(
I’m causing a major thatch issue on my front lawn. As there is no power at this house and no gas mower, I’m using a trimmer to cut the lawn. I know it’s bad. But it’s what I can do for now. If I actually live there, I hope to replace the lawn with ground cover next year anyway.
I dethatched this year, oh how my grass looks good now. Of course its been fairly rainy last 6 weeks and not to hot. And I did fertilize not long afterwards.
Great info. Thank you! Our yard is huge and starting to feel spongy - the sod is over 18 months old now so can we de tach it this Fall? We installed it in April of 2023.
Another reason to avoid de-thatching after a pre-emergent is that right after dethatching is a great time to put some new seed. There is a pre-emergent called Tenacity (gen. mesotrione) that will allow new turfgrass seeds to germinate but still stops crabgrass and broadleaf weeds.
As far as I know you don't have to wait at all; but, it might be a good idea to water it in first at least, because I imagine dethatching right after applying Tenacity would remove some of the chemical. I think it makes more sense to apply the Tenacity just after dethatching and overseeding. @@kmiller15211
Thanks for the advice my lake house has a huge yard and we have dogs! Plus I’ve been mulching the leaves in the fall so I get a lot of thatch to clean up in the spring. I’ll any recommended videos on healthy fertilizer or shoreline care?
One mistake you left out was leaving the dethatcher outside overnight in the rain. I'm totally not speaking from experience here. Definitely didn't just do this yesterday...
I hope I didn't screw up my yard. Just got the Sunjoe that also arrates. It worked great as I did it in the fall but here in the Northeast our grass isn't growing but was told this was a great time to do this. Our yard does look quite brown but we've hadn't a had rain in a while. The amount of dead grass I got up was incredible. So now i'm going to aerate battery your power is and then seed. And then pray l o l
Should you detatch your lawn that you've let go dormant because of a drought for 2 months (Jun-Jul) but is now coming back slowly in late July? Just lots of dead grass from the drought.
I dethatched lightly yesterday June 26 on cool season grass It is going to rain on and off for the next week. I have an established lawn with good soil amendment. I expect it will look normal in about a week. The lawn spent the last 3 weeks trying to go to seed, so I have a lot of yellow sticks in the lawn, compared to before. I also had some water penetration issues and whenever that happens the grass grows sideways and then starts to choke itself out. I now have a wetting agent I put down to stop that from happening, but when it does, I have to remove some of the dying grass so the other stuff will grow.
@@srtswpak47 The grass is standing up incredibly straight. This has exposed some tiny patches that had no grass growing but was covered up. It looked shocked for a bit and now has resumed growing. I put down some seed because it is going to rain heavy for the next few days, which drives the seed in.I put a mix of starter fert and my regular to push it a bit. I just hit it with some more wetting agent (baby shampoo). I will be mowing short to let the sunlight get in and hit the seeds. The weeds didn’t like being dethatched and I can’t find them. I’m not sure how things will handle the lack of direct really bright sun. The fires burning in Canada has caused a haze everywhere, even far away. Either way, the lawn can breathe and the grass isn’t choking itself. I’ll hold off mowing taller until the weather is too hot.
@@srtswpak47 Mowed yesterday and watered. Today it was 99 degrees F and the lawn looked great when I got home in the afternoon. I watered heavily because it will be as hot tomorrow. The lawn is greening up and where I walk is still standing up straight and hiding the footsteps. Very resilient. If I had to do it again, I would have fertilized right away. I waited to see what would happen though.
@Lakehouse Lawn Care We are growing grass from seed on a half acre property, we grew most of the grass from scratch in fall last year and then year we're getting started early in spring with top dress and more seed trying to fill in all the missing patches where soil is still visible. When should we fertilize new growth, should we give it a year growing on it's own to try and establish it before fertilizing. Last year we put fertilizer on too early and lots of the grass turned red, I'm assuming we burnt it with the fertilizer.
Perfect video for beginners like me 1. Can you tell us some tips on watering when seeding / weed feed/ during fertilizers 2. Your lawn looks pro level like some hard cut precisely :) What is your lawn mower model
Thanks for the comment! When your seating, water early in the morning, then again around mid day, do this until the grass is long enough to cut. I use a Toro greensmaster 1000 which is a golf course greens mower and I cut my grass at 1/2 inch.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 Thanks for the tip. I started watching your other videos too. They are quite helpful and appreciate your contributions to the youtube world !!
My first year doing lawn work I had nothing but weeds and dirt. I verticut the whole lawn in fall and I was mowing nice full thick grass early April the next year.
I plan to dethatch in late Summer/Early Fall. I also plan to plug my lawn and over seed at the same time. Is this recommended? Also, what blend fertilizer would you recommend after all of that? I live in Central Va. Thanks!!
About to dethatch for the first time. 2 year old lawn up here in Minnesota. Started from sod from new construction builder. After I dethatch do you have any recommendations on what fertilizer to use immediately after? I haven't had a soil test done yet so I should stick to something "general" at this point. Is Milorganite good enough? Or should I skip straight to something like a Scott's Fall fertilizer?
Great video! I'm in northern Illinois and have a couple of areas that are thinner and there's some matted dead material preventing growth that I want to get rid of. It has been annoying and I want to dethatch. BUT, you mentioned the preemergent issue, which I put down in mid to late April. Also, neighbors nearby all but ignore their yard and, naturally, have dandelions and other weeds (that pesky common violet) everywhere. So opening up that soil may not be a best bet. Based on your recommendation, I will wait until fall, when I also plan to core aerate anyway. So, thanks for the info.
Skip the dethatching and just plug heavily with the core aerator. Punching holes into the layer allows oxygen and the bacteria and micro organisms that decompose materials to get to work on that thatch. Topdressing with compost or manure kicks that into superdrive. Thatching (done intensively enough to remove enough material to matter) is very hard on the existing turf. Videos show people removing a TINY amount of material. If you have enough to be a problem you will fill a large dump truck equivalent with plastic bags full. Just skip it completely.
@@mikeb1039 I dethatched fairly lightly last year and it pulled up a ton. I may skip it this fall, as you suggest and just give core aeration a go. I don't know when this was done prior, as I've owned the home two years. It's due for aerating anyway. Overall, the lawn is in great shape, just a few thinner areas. Thanks for your response.
@@242-f5u Take a knife and cut 2 or 3 plugs out around the yard and measure how thick the thatch is (if there is some). There's either less than 1" (not enough worry about or mess with) or over 1" and in need of reduction. Real thatch is mostly root material way too close to the surface, most often seen with irrigation as why would the grass bother to sink deep (healthy) roots when it gets water every day. Real thatch looks like old horse hair carpet padding and is very tough and you can't pull it apart. NOT grass clippings. To remove enough of the loose fluffy stuff (dethatching will tear out (fluff) small amouts of the acutal mass that looks like a ton until you see what it REALLY looks like if you rip it all out. If you pull up all that with a thatcher you won't have enough grass plants left to matter. (bare dirt mostly) Measure it, then pull up what you think is a ton and then measure after........ (not much eh?) ;) Plugging with an aerator is the SINGLE BEST thing you can do to any turf. Spring and fall if the turf is weak or thatch is present enough to treat. JMO but in the biz all my life and many days at Purdue U ag/turf field days.
I use a green works & it is absolutely fabulous. We have some lawn mowing people around here that use a rake behind a rider & they do a horrible job & it does literally nothing as they whizz around the yard super fast.
We just purchased a home and it is our first time we have a lwn, the grass is in bad shape and we can clearly see that brown layer to dead grass. We think we need to do this, how often is this process done?
GREAT VIDEO!! I did Zeon Zoysia sod last summer and its starting to come out of its first dormancy. But i dont understand the process. Are the grassblades themselves grass changing color or is new grass growing up past the old grass that went dormant? And if so do sunjoe the old grass once the grass is all the way green again. Right now its just green in spots and im scared to do anything. 😢😢😢. I think myblawn company already did pre emergebt too.
I want to aerate, seed and then fertilize my lawn now. However, I have noticed we have lots of weeds. What is the best way to address getting rid of the weeds prior to aerating? What do I do with the dead weeds, as I do not want to pick them or have them spread further during aeration process. I appreciate your earliest response.
Hey, Marcia. First, which area of the country are you located, as it's too early for seeding if you live in the North. If the weeds are dead and don't have seeds showing, they will shrivel up and decompose quickly. They won't spread when you aerate. Speed Zone selective herbicide is the most effective product for eliminating most weeds and it allows you to seed in only 2 weeks after applying it. That's if you have more weeds to eliminate.
Ah the memories, my first year of home ownership I dethatched, aerated, and overseeded in late May when it was 96 outside. And then I bagged every blade of grass with my non-mulching mower.
I had new sod installed with a new home build 1 month ago, they didn't water it at all and it was during the hottest 2 weeks of the year, constantly over 100+ every single day. 80% of the grass is dead. How to best get rid of dead grass to prep to replace with new seeds etc.? Is dethatching the way to go? I already have a machine.
Thanks for the video. We live in the Central Valley of CA where we have multiple 100⁰+ days in summer. Our lawn is 35-40 yrs old. Is dethatching enough? The lawn is looking sparse in some areas. Thanks
Dethatching will clear out lots of dead material. If it is sparse, you probably need to spot seed those areas and keep it watered. Ideally about an inch of water per week.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 thanks for the speedy reply - I know I’m pushing it - but what are your thoughts about turf tall fescue? I’ve currently got kbg, but heard ttf is more resistant to dog traffic and thats my issue - seems w/ kbg I’m growing grass annually in their yard just for them to have it for that year, and destroy.
@@davidlamoreaux9436 I don’t have any experience with TTTF but I know the people who have it love it. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. KBG can be a little slow to wake up in the spring but I still think it’s the best cool season grass.
What height should the grass be when dethaching? I am dethaching this week in Boston area. Plus aeration and overseeding. I am shooting for 2.5 inches cut of height. Hopefully that is low enough. Thanks. Also will use starter fertilizer after overseeding. Going to try Andersons starter fertilizer.
How long after dethatching is your grass susceptible to weed growth from neighbors weeds? If the weeds aren't dominant right now but will be in a few weeks. Could I dethatch my yard?
Great timing on this video. I've been chopping at the bit to get out and dethatch knowing its to early. I heard someone say you should mow 2 time before you do it in the spring. Mow alittle lower that 2nd time and only do it if its pretty dry. Gonna do I light dethatch this Spring and then really get after it in the Early Fall.
just in case you are interested in taking a look at it: the phrase you were going for was "champing at the bit", not "chopping". It is a fun phrase to learn the background behind.
@@lakehouselawncare1755what height should cool season grass be at before attempting to thatch? I know that I gotta lower the height of cut over a few mows but not sure how low….
Can I dethatch my lawn during early fall? I have grubs which has made dead grass spots in my lawn. I tried moving the dead grass and see grubs underneath.
Thanks so much! I appreciate you watching and commenting. The greens mower I used to cut the grass in the backyard runs on the rear drum and front roller, which is like rolling the lawn every time I cut it, so it stays very flat.
Thanks, Miguel! It kinda depends on the time of year but I like Scott’s turf builder lawn food and ChicknPoo for my granular or N-Ext Greene Charge if I’m applying a liquid fert.
I live in KS and we are renting the house we are in now. It has a lot of thatch and just hasn’t been taken care of. Would it be safe to thatch this time of year or wait?
Hi.. please, in what order do i do these: dethatch, aerate, herbicide, insecticide, weed and feed? I got weeds, thatch and i got ants all on my lawn, and the silly ant trap i bought doesn't seem to do shit. Thanks
If you already have a lawn mower, you can get an Oregon dethatching blade for $25.00. Super worth it, I like the ergonomics far better than the corded electric scarifiers. Renting a commercial unit is nice because the gas scarifiers really do a better job faster.
My pleasure! It's probably not necessary on a lawn that's only one year old. If you have dead grass blades that you want to get rid of, they will go away on their own in the fall.
After Dethatching, can I use weed and feed, in addition spreading seed (Bermuda)? We were hammered out in Texas and the yard was not taken care of by the prior owner. I had planned on dethatching, then aerating (I have two attachments for the riding lawn mower), then dropping weed and feed and concluding with spreading seed. I had planned on doing this on the same weekend as other individuals suggested but this is not my area competency and I am searching for accurate information. Thanks
Hey Dan, weed and feed should not be applied at the same time as grass seed. It will prevent the seed from germinating. If your grass is thin and patchy, I would seed and then wait 4 weeks before using a weed killer.
I'm in NW Ohio and my last mow is normally in November. Here it is late September and the grass has barely grown the last three weeks. I may only have one more clean up mow to go. I take it now would be a bad time to dethatch? It may start growing again after some recent rain. Would I be better off waiting until after the first mow in the spring? Or maybe waiting until after the dandelions go away, but before the summer heat? Thanks.
Has anyone figured out a Verticutter cartridge modification for the basic Greenworks Dethatcher? It's such a great dethatcher, but there has got to be a mod to get a verticutter cartridge to fit.
I heard you’re not supposed to rake up the thatch when you’re done, is that true? I noticed he blew it into a pile once the dead material was at the surface.
I have lots of weed on my lawn, should I spray it down with herbicide and wait a few weeks before dethatching or dethatch first and then spray the weeds?
I am amazed at how thatch comes out every time I do it! Detaching is amazing, I live in New England and over the years have detached in spring, early summer and I never had any issues.
Nice video. Great info for a homeowner. Im in Wisconsin and the "terminology" dethatching is what it called however most people dont really know or have seen true thatch. The process to break that down is with a vertical mower by verticutting or scarifier. Both are destructive processes but should only be used when true thatch is found. True thatch can be deceptive however the best way to simply describe it is by having grass try to grow thru a wool blanket on the ground. The blanket is the true thatch that really cant be effectively broken up by spring tine methods.
True thatch is usually over 1/2" thick and sits below the crown and on top of the soil layer. It prevents sun, moisture and fertilizer from doing the job intended. What is mostly done here under the umbrella word of dethatching is basically a raking of the lawn by mechanical methods. Its more of a visual but some of the debris that isnt true thatch is lifted and can be vacuumed and removed making a lawn look combed and visually appealing after a winter where the top layer is pressed down from the snow. I do agree that true dethatching should be done when active growing is happening. However this type of work that is done here can be done in early spring when new chutes are just getting started. Obviously frozen or wet ground is a no go. I have been doing this commercially here for 28 years and the dethatching and spring clean time is crazy and also profitable from a commercial operators viewpoint. Thanks for sharing the good info for the homeowner.
After reading this I'm thinking I don't need to dethatch. Maybe aerate? I would describe my lawn as thinning. I can see dirt between the blades of grass. What would you recommend. My lawn is 35-40 yrs old. We live in the middle of CA where it gets very hot and dry in the summer.
Thanks
@@craftablegoodies I have a few things for you to consider. First off is what soil are you dealing with? If your soil is of poor quality or is very sandy then aeration is not really going to be beneficial and may hurt as it opens the lawn to air, drying the soil. Aeration is best in spring or fall when it is cooler and wetter. Also it is very good for clay soil. I would think that you can bring in some topsoil and topdress the lawn, and overseed making sure to get good seed to soil contact and make sure you water it well until germination. Also use a good starter fertilizer like 10-10-10. After established dont mow until its about 4 inches and then only take a half inch or so off. Let it grow high as you can tolerate to increase root growth and preserving moisture along with not letting things completely get dusty dry. Spring is near, get your order in?
@eddiane, thanks for the tips. We do have more of a clay soil. I'm going to try your suggestions. 🤞🏻
Best video that I’ve watched on this topic by far. I was headed out to dethatch my cool season grass that was wet and I would have hurt it. I’m going to wait until fall now. Thanks
Thank you for the kind words, Brian! I prefer to dethatch in the fall as well. Most of the time in the spring, the grass that looks like it needs to be dethatched is just still dormant.
This info seems to be just what I needed. Simple, clear, and instructive. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Metal leaf rake. Love seeing all the thatch come out. Plus a great arm workout
A detacher rake is fine for small lawns, but if you have acres of land, you most definitely will need a power dethatcher/ scarifier.
Great video! In my area in Wi, people are absolutely obsessed with dethatching in early-early spring. They all use the “power rake blades” on their mowers and tear the crap out of their yards. If I dethatch, I do it in fall to avoid the weed pressure like you mentioned. The old timers look at me like I’m the crazy one lol.
Thanks for the comment, Jonny! Honestly, I made this video because I saw countless landscapers dethatching dormant grass in my area too. I appreciate your feedback!
Im in MA and I thatch every spring just don’t do it when it’s still dormant. My lawn looks incredible.
I've noticed the same. A guy down the street, just a couple of days ago, tore the heck out of his lawn with the bladed system. It's expected to be mid 80s all next week and no sign of rain. He may regret his decision, but I'm no expert . They say fall is best for cool season grasses, but I've seen it pulled off in spring. My father did it that way and had a glorious lawn. Also kept up with mowing, fertilizing and such. To each's own.
Bruh, if you have a lawn bigger than 500 sqft don’t use a rake haha that work is exhausting!
😂 true story. That is back breaking work!
Doing dethatching a large yard with just a rake is a fool’s errand. Just did it today and do not recommend. Looking for a dethatcher now.
@branbosage2330 did you buy a dethatcher?
@@branbosage2330agreed, only make that mistake once haha. (already bought a dethatcher and I have about 9000 ish sqft of grass)
Buddy, I learned that the hard way... my legs and back were sore for a week after dethatching with a rake, and I still didnt do nearly as good as a mechanized dethatcher
Oops! I’ve already made some mistakes but now I know. Thanks for the video!
NICE! I just bought the green works dethatcher 😊 I’m planning on dethatching, then laying down weed and feed, then seeding over my existing lawn… which is barely existing since the last owners used a grass type that cannot handle the sun and heat that my lawn deals with.
Thank you so much for the info! ☺️
Thanks for the comment Chelsea. Make sure to wait at least six weeks after applying weed and feed to try to seed your lawn were.
The electric sun Joe scarifier works great!!
I’ve heard that is works better than the green works machine that I have. Thanks for the comment!
Yea. I highly recommend this. Has both the scarifier and dethatching drum.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 and it comes with two attachments to both rake and scarify ! I bought mine 4 years ago and saved a lot of cash not needing to rent a gas one and it does a much better job than those $2000 dollar rental machines ! Just don't use the tiny catch basket and mow it all up !
A little bit late to the party, but just found your channel and subscribed. I am here in Lexington, NC and just over seeded (TTTF.....got some amazing seed for this process). But, before I did that, I dethatched. With an old rake. Man, there was a ton of material (as expected). I will not over seed if I have not done a dethatch before hand. Too much "interference" for the new seed to make that much-needed "seed-to-soil" contact. Your list of seven is spot on. Job well done.
Central Texas here - Last year (2023), i was mowing into December. When spring came this year, I had a lot of dead grass because the clippings didn't break down.
My personal mistake #8: Not wearing PPE. My greenworks dethatcher tore up so much dead grass (scorched grass that didn't come back after winter) and the wind blew it in my face, I ended up with a very bad respiratory infection that lasted 3 weeks (+2 more weeks with a cough). Doc said there may have been fertilizer or bacteria in it that I inhaled too much of.
...#9, If you have uneven ground, dips or holes, the tines of the dethatcher will go deeper than expected if a wheel dips and brings the cylinder closer to the ground. I ended up scalping a few spots :(
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that happened to you. Thanks for the comment!
Weeds are another hazard to the respiratory system. Ask me how I know. 🤔
This is the best dethatching video on TH-cam for sure!!! Thanks
Thank you, Mark!
I also have the Greenworks dethatcher. Love it! Highly recommended.
I love that machine! Even for just a light raking it works great.
Better than the electric ones
I’m causing a major thatch issue on my front lawn. As there is no power at this house and no gas mower, I’m using a trimmer to cut the lawn. I know it’s bad. But it’s what I can do for now. If I actually live there, I hope to replace the lawn with ground cover next year anyway.
I dethatched this year, oh how my grass looks good now. Of course its been fairly rainy last 6 weeks and not to hot. And I did fertilize not long afterwards.
After dethatching, did u reseed right away? And how often did u water ur lawn?
Perfect video brother! Your lawn is looking crazy good my friend!!! 😊🤙🏾
You are too kind! Thank you my friend! Keep up the good work, you are killing it this spring!
Great info. Thank you! Our yard is huge and starting to feel spongy - the sod is over 18 months old now so can we de tach it this Fall? We installed it in April of 2023.
Instead of lakehouse lawn you need to change it to GQ Lawn.
My dude is always on point with the style!
😂 thank you my friend!
Another reason to avoid de-thatching after a pre-emergent is that right after dethatching is a great time to put some new seed. There is a pre-emergent called Tenacity (gen. mesotrione) that will allow new turfgrass seeds to germinate but still stops crabgrass and broadleaf weeds.
You got it! Thanks!
How long after a tenacity application should you wait before dethatching?
As far as I know you don't have to wait at all; but, it might be a good idea to water it in first at least, because I imagine dethatching right after applying Tenacity would remove some of the chemical. I think it makes more sense to apply the Tenacity just after dethatching and overseeding. @@kmiller15211
Tenacity is trash. Turns your grass white at a time when it looks it's best.
Tenacity works great.
Thanks for the advice my lake house has a huge yard and we have dogs! Plus I’ve been mulching the leaves in the fall so I get a lot of thatch to clean up in the spring. I’ll any recommended videos on healthy fertilizer or shoreline care?
One mistake you left out was leaving the dethatcher outside overnight in the rain.
I'm totally not speaking from experience here.
Definitely didn't just do this yesterday...
😂😂 I knew I forgot something!
I hope I didn't screw up my yard. Just got the Sunjoe that also arrates. It worked great as I did it in the fall but here in the Northeast our grass isn't growing but was told this was a great time to do this. Our yard does look quite brown but we've hadn't a had rain in a while. The amount of dead grass I got up was incredible. So now i'm going to aerate battery your power is and then seed. And then pray l o l
It's gonna turn out great! Good luck with your project.
You didn't mention those pull behind dethatchers you attach to the back of a tractor?? What are your thoughts on those?
Should you detatch your lawn that you've let go dormant because of a drought for 2 months (Jun-Jul) but is now coming back slowly in late July? Just lots of dead grass from the drought.
First tip I would say no. He said when lawn under stress
I dethatched lightly yesterday June 26 on cool season grass It is going to rain on and off for the next week. I have an established lawn with good soil amendment. I expect it will look normal in about a week. The lawn spent the last 3 weeks trying to go to seed, so I have a lot of yellow sticks in the lawn, compared to before.
I also had some water penetration issues and whenever that happens the grass grows sideways and then starts to choke itself out. I now have a wetting agent I put down to stop that from happening, but when it does, I have to remove some of the dying grass so the other stuff will grow.
How's it looking a few days later?
@@srtswpak47 The grass is standing up incredibly straight. This has exposed some tiny patches that had no grass growing but was covered up. It looked shocked for a bit and now has resumed growing. I put down some seed because it is going to rain heavy for the next few days, which drives the seed in.I put a mix of starter fert and my regular to push it a bit. I just hit it with some more wetting agent (baby shampoo). I will be mowing short to let the sunlight get in and hit the seeds. The weeds didn’t like being dethatched and I can’t find them. I’m not sure how things will handle the lack of direct really bright sun. The fires burning in Canada has caused a haze everywhere, even far away.
Either way, the lawn can breathe and the grass isn’t choking itself. I’ll hold off mowing taller until the weather is too hot.
@@srtswpak47 Mowed yesterday and watered. Today it was 99 degrees F and the lawn looked great when I got home in the afternoon. I watered heavily because it will be as hot tomorrow. The lawn is greening up and where I walk is still standing up straight and hiding the footsteps. Very resilient. If I had to do it again, I would have fertilized right away. I waited to see what would happen though.
@Lakehouse Lawn Care We are growing grass from seed on a half acre property, we grew most of the grass from scratch in fall last year and then year we're getting started early in spring with top dress and more seed trying to fill in all the missing patches where soil is still visible. When should we fertilize new growth, should we give it a year growing on it's own to try and establish it before fertilizing. Last year we put fertilizer on too early and lots of the grass turned red, I'm assuming we burnt it with the fertilizer.
You can fertilize new growth four weeks after the seeds have germinated. Good luck with your project!
@@lakehouselawncare1755 Thanks great tip!
Very good points. Never thought about weeds and their seeds. Thanks
Thanks for watching and commenting, Sara!
Answered many of my questions if not all. Bravo!
Perfect video for beginners like me
1. Can you tell us some tips on watering when seeding / weed feed/ during fertilizers
2. Your lawn looks pro level like some hard cut precisely :) What is your lawn mower model
Thanks for the comment! When your seating, water early in the morning, then again around mid day, do this until the grass is long enough to cut. I use a Toro greensmaster 1000 which is a golf course greens mower and I cut my grass at 1/2 inch.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 Thanks for the tip. I started watching your other videos too. They are quite helpful and appreciate your contributions to the youtube world !!
My first year doing lawn work I had nothing but weeds and dirt. I verticut the whole lawn in fall and I was mowing nice full thick grass early April the next year.
Hell yes! Glad to hear it and thanks for commenting, Grant!
I plan to dethatch in late Summer/Early Fall. I also plan to plug my lawn and over seed at the same time. Is this recommended? Also, what blend fertilizer would you recommend after all of that? I live in Central Va. Thanks!!
About to dethatch for the first time. 2 year old lawn up here in Minnesota. Started from sod from new construction builder. After I dethatch do you have any recommendations on what fertilizer to use immediately after? I haven't had a soil test done yet so I should stick to something "general" at this point. Is Milorganite good enough? Or should I skip straight to something like a Scott's Fall fertilizer?
Great video! I'm in northern Illinois and have a couple of areas that are thinner and there's some matted dead material preventing growth that I want to get rid of. It has been annoying and I want to dethatch. BUT, you mentioned the preemergent issue, which I put down in mid to late April. Also, neighbors nearby all but ignore their yard and, naturally, have dandelions and other weeds (that pesky common violet) everywhere. So opening up that soil may not be a best bet.
Based on your recommendation, I will wait until fall, when I also plan to core aerate anyway. So, thanks for the info.
Thank you my friend! I definitely prefer to dethatch in the fall for better results. I appreciate the comment.
Skip the dethatching and just plug heavily with the core aerator. Punching holes into the layer allows oxygen and the bacteria and micro organisms that decompose materials to get to work on that thatch. Topdressing with compost or manure kicks that into superdrive.
Thatching (done intensively enough to remove enough material to matter) is very hard on the existing turf. Videos show people removing a TINY amount of material. If you have enough to be a problem you will fill a large dump truck equivalent with plastic bags full.
Just skip it completely.
@@mikeb1039 I dethatched fairly lightly last year and it pulled up a ton. I may skip it this fall, as you suggest and just give core aeration a go. I don't know when this was done prior, as I've owned the home two years. It's due for aerating anyway. Overall, the lawn is in great shape, just a few thinner areas.
Thanks for your response.
@@242-f5u Take a knife and cut 2 or 3 plugs out around the yard and measure how thick the thatch is (if there is some). There's either less than 1" (not enough worry about or mess with) or over 1" and in need of reduction.
Real thatch is mostly root material way too close to the surface, most often seen with irrigation as why would the grass bother to sink deep (healthy) roots when it gets water every day. Real thatch looks like old horse hair carpet padding and is very tough and you can't pull it apart. NOT grass clippings.
To remove enough of the loose fluffy stuff (dethatching will tear out (fluff) small amouts of the acutal mass that looks like a ton until you see what it REALLY looks like if you rip it all out. If you pull up all that with a thatcher you won't have enough grass plants left to matter. (bare dirt mostly)
Measure it, then pull up what you think is a ton and then measure after........ (not much eh?) ;)
Plugging with an aerator is the SINGLE BEST thing you can do to any turf. Spring and fall if the turf is weak or thatch is present enough to treat. JMO but in the biz all my life and many days at Purdue U ag/turf field days.
Lol dandelions are not a weed. Read about their beneficial propertys
This is a great, informative video. One of the hottest men on TH-cam is a lawn care expert.
Thanks for watching and commenting, Eddie! You are too kind!
U gay
Thirsty 😂
Easy there Liberace, that’s not my buddy Buddha you’re talking about here.
🔥tips bro!
i remember when i was a beginner, i dethatched in summer 😂
needless to say, i learned my lesson haha
Thank you, brother!! Now I want some of that top dressing mix from your last 🔥 video!
@@lakehouselawncare1755 that would be some good content!
Is it ok to dethatch in summer in Texas (bermuda grass)?
#5 is why I'm going to wait until Fall, unless I can somehow zap weeds ASAP first. Good video.
Yeah, for that reason, I usually wait for the fall too. Thanks for the comment!
I use a green works & it is absolutely fabulous.
We have some lawn mowing people around here that use a rake behind a rider & they do a horrible job & it does literally nothing as they whizz around the yard super fast.
We just purchased a home and it is our first time we have a lwn, the grass is in bad shape and we can clearly see that brown layer to dead grass. We think we need to do this, how often is this process done?
GREAT VIDEO!! I did Zeon Zoysia sod last summer and its starting to come out of its first dormancy. But i dont understand the process. Are the grassblades themselves grass changing color or is new grass growing up past the old grass that went dormant? And if so do sunjoe the old grass once the grass is all the way green again. Right now its just green in spots and im scared to do anything. 😢😢😢. I think myblawn company already did pre emergebt too.
Good. What about the discussing what types of lawns can be detached. For example, can a detacher be used on st Augustine lawn? Thank you.
I want to aerate, seed and then fertilize my lawn now. However, I have noticed we have lots of weeds. What is the best way to address getting rid of the weeds prior to aerating? What do I do with the dead weeds, as I do not want to pick them or have them spread further during aeration process. I appreciate your earliest response.
Hey, Marcia. First, which area of the country are you located, as it's too early for seeding if you live in the North. If the weeds are dead and don't have seeds showing, they will shrivel up and decompose quickly. They won't spread when you aerate. Speed Zone selective herbicide is the most effective product for eliminating most weeds and it allows you to seed in only 2 weeks after applying it. That's if you have more weeds to eliminate.
After dethatching, will you add phosphorus as well or a phosphorus free fertilzer?
I use a phosphorus free fertilizer because we live on the water.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 Oh right you’re correct! 🌸♥️
This guy knows his 💩💩💩! Very informative!!!
😂 thank you brother!
@@lakehouselawncare1755 BTW I bought that same dethatcher! Wish me luck 😅
Great to see you back and stay safe!
Thanks, Keith! It feels good to be back in the yard again.
Ah the memories, my first year of home ownership I dethatched, aerated, and overseeded in late May when it was 96 outside. And then I bagged every blade of grass with my non-mulching mower.
😂 I make videos because I’ve learned from all of my stupid mistakes over the years. Thanks for the comment.
I have neighbor's that have done this for the past 3 years and still wonder why they have so many weeds...smh
@@88krazie Damn they'll never keep up with you what a shame.
I had new sod installed with a new home build 1 month ago, they didn't water it at all and it was during the hottest 2 weeks of the year, constantly over 100+ every single day. 80% of the grass is dead. How to best get rid of dead grass to prep to replace with new seeds etc.? Is dethatching the way to go? I already have a machine.
Thanks for the video. We live in the Central Valley of CA where we have multiple 100⁰+ days in summer. Our lawn is 35-40 yrs old. Is dethatching enough? The lawn is looking sparse in some areas. Thanks
Dethatching will clear out lots of dead material. If it is sparse, you probably need to spot seed those areas and keep it watered. Ideally about an inch of water per week.
Great info - love the videos. U may have mentioned before, but what type of grass do u have?
Thank you for watching and commenting, David! I have a mix of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial rye.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 thanks for the speedy reply - I know I’m pushing it - but what are your thoughts about turf tall fescue? I’ve currently got kbg, but heard ttf is more resistant to dog traffic and thats my issue - seems w/ kbg I’m growing grass annually in their yard just for them to have it for that year, and destroy.
@@davidlamoreaux9436 I don’t have any experience with TTTF but I know the people who have it love it. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. KBG can be a little slow to wake up in the spring but I still think it’s the best cool season grass.
I live in Quebec Canada. I have clay soil so it’s always humid… I’m not sure what I have to do
Like the video. Do you cut the lawn before you Dethatch?
Thank you, Steven! Yes I always mow a little lower than usual before dethatching.
Great clip. Very insightful about the how and the timing; which is extremely helpful.
Thank you, Eddy!
Any suggestions for dethatching a 2acre yard?
Can you topdress right after you have dethatched your lawn?
i dethatch once a year in september. it ALWAYS pulls up thatch. will go over the lawn twice = at right angles.
Nice! I usually do the same. Thanks for the comment!
That’s good to know, I usually dethatch every other year for fear of overdoing it. I’m inclined to go ahead and do it yearly. Thanks.
What height should the grass be when dethaching? I am dethaching this week in Boston area. Plus aeration and overseeding. I am shooting for 2.5 inches cut of height. Hopefully that is low enough. Thanks. Also will use starter fertilizer after overseeding. Going to try Andersons starter fertilizer.
2.5 inches will be just fine. Good luck with your project!
Good thing I didn’t dethatch. My grass is stressed out right now. I added iron and superthrive tho. Hopefully that helps
How long after dethatching is your grass susceptible to weed growth from neighbors weeds? If the weeds aren't dominant right now but will be in a few weeks. Could I dethatch my yard?
Yes, you should be good to go right now as long as your grass isn't still dormant.
Thank you
Great timing on this video. I've been chopping at the bit to get out and dethatch knowing its to early. I heard someone say you should mow 2 time before you do it in the spring. Mow alittle lower that 2nd time and only do it if its pretty dry. Gonna do I light dethatch this Spring and then really get after it in the Early Fall.
Thanks for the comment! You definitely want to wait until you’ve had to mow a few times.
just in case you are interested in taking a look at it: the phrase you were going for was "champing at the bit", not "chopping". It is a fun phrase to learn the background behind.
@@lakehouselawncare1755what height should cool season grass be at before attempting to thatch? I know that I gotta lower the height of cut over a few mows but not sure how low….
Can I dethatch my lawn during early fall? I have grubs which has made dead grass spots in my lawn. I tried moving the dead grass and see grubs underneath.
In video he said Fall
I have about 1200 sq ft and its absolutely backbreaking to try and use a dethatching rake😢
Hi there. Love your videos. Your lawn is beautiful! Do you roll it annually or more then once a year? Your lawn looks like a golf course! Thanks
Thanks so much! I appreciate you watching and commenting. The greens mower I used to cut the grass in the backyard runs on the rear drum and front roller, which is like rolling the lawn every time I cut it, so it stays very flat.
I unfortunately de thatched in spring and now it's July and my grass is full of crabgrass 😢
I’m doing this for the first time in March-April. What fertilizer do you recommend after the detaching? Got the greens works off Amazon.
A 10-10-10 is a great option for early spring fertilizing
I'm de-thatching for new seeding . Should I put down a fertilizer when I finish or just seed?
Using a starter fertilizer is the best practice when seeding after dethatching.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 How long do I have to wait after putting down the fertilizer before I seed?
You can do them both on the same day
@@lakehouselawncare1755 thanks !
@@lakehouselawncare1755 thanks !
I dethatched yesterday in Buffalo NY, so I’m going to over-seed and can I fertilize same day? Ty!
Get ready for a high water bill. Wait till late summer, early fall.
Which fertilizer do you recommend for cool season grass post dethatching ? Thanks!
The Anderson Lawn Food 28-0-12 is what I will be using after I dethatch in a few weeks.
After you dethatch, can you apply weed killer if you have a lot of weeds and then apply fertilizer weeks after the week killer?
Yes you can!
Great video! What fertilizer you suggest after detached lawn?
Thanks, Miguel! It kinda depends on the time of year but I like Scott’s turf builder lawn food and ChicknPoo for my granular or N-Ext Greene Charge if I’m applying a liquid fert.
Thanks for the info! Planning on doing a detach at the end of may!
What about the dethacher that is pulled behind a garden tractor or ATV??
I live in North Florida and have st. Augustine grass. I have heard dethatching is bad for st. Augustine. Is this true?
You said to put down fertilizer after you thatch what if you want to reseed also.
If you're seeding, you can apply a starter fertilizer
how long after applying pr-emergent should a person wait. example we have lots of rain since it was applied.
This is exactly the advice I needed, thank you!!!
Thanks. Many things I had not thought of.😊
My pleasure! Thanks for watching and commenting.
I live in KS and we are renting the house we are in now. It has a lot of thatch and just hasn’t been taken care of. Would it be safe to thatch this time of year or wait?
Thanks for the great tips!
My pleasure! Thanks for the comment.
Hi.. please, in what order do i do these: dethatch, aerate, herbicide, insecticide, weed and feed? I got weeds, thatch and i got ants all on my lawn, and the silly ant trap i bought doesn't seem to do shit. Thanks
I'll admit. I've never dethatched, so thank you.
Thank you for the valuable information!
I live in northeast. I should NOT dethatch now before I apply pre- emerg? Thank you.
If your lawn is actively growing, you can dethatch before applying your pre-emergent.
How old does sod have to be before I can dethatch it? I put mine down this Spring and need to dethatch some areas. Can I go ahead?
As long as the sod is rooted, you can dethatch.
If you already have a lawn mower, you can get an Oregon dethatching blade for $25.00.
Super worth it, I like the ergonomics far better than the corded electric scarifiers.
Renting a commercial unit is nice because the gas scarifiers really do a better job faster.
Thatch is subsoil . Only a scarifier will remove thatch.What you refer to as a detacher is power raking for surface debris
TY! Is a year-old lawn too new??
My pleasure! It's probably not necessary on a lawn that's only one year old. If you have dead grass blades that you want to get rid of, they will go away on their own in the fall.
Great hat... love from Chicago
They stink but Go Sox!
Is Kentucky bluegrass cold grass or hot grass?
What's the best fertilizer to use after detaching in the fall I'm in Ohio
I like Scott's turf builder lawn food personally.
After Dethatching, can I use weed and feed, in addition spreading seed (Bermuda)? We were hammered out in Texas and the yard was not taken care of by the prior owner. I had planned on dethatching, then aerating (I have two attachments for the riding lawn mower), then dropping weed and feed and concluding with spreading seed. I had planned on doing this on the same weekend as other individuals suggested but this is not my area competency and I am searching for accurate information. Thanks
Hey Dan, weed and feed should not be applied at the same time as grass seed. It will prevent the seed from germinating. If your grass is thin and patchy, I would seed and then wait 4 weeks before using a weed killer.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 Thank you. Just saved me a lot of heartache. In-laws coming into town in 6 weeks and I’m hoping to impress lol
I'm in NW Ohio and my last mow is normally in November. Here it is late September and the grass has barely grown the last three weeks. I may only have one more clean up mow to go. I take it now would be a bad time to dethatch? It may start growing again after some recent rain. Would I be better off waiting until after the first mow in the spring? Or maybe waiting until after the dandelions go away, but before the summer heat? Thanks.
Hey Roger, if your grass starts to green up soon, you could do it in the next few weeks. It will bounce back before it goes dormant for the winter.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 Great, because I've got the itch to do it.
The Man is BACK! 🔥🔥🔥🔥😎
Yeah buddy!! Thanks for watching and commenting, Marty!
What about aeration?
Is it going to be a long Summer for the Sox?
They have been unwatchable for most of the season but have been on a hot streak lately. Fingers crossed!
Has anyone figured out a Verticutter cartridge modification for the basic Greenworks Dethatcher? It's such a great dethatcher, but there has got to be a mod to get a verticutter cartridge to fit.
Southside for life SODfather!
Let's go!!
Would it be fine if I Dethatched and then put down starter fertilizer along with new seed for over seeding in the fall?
Also I have tall fescue grass
Absolutely! Just make sure to give yourself a 4 week window before your average first frost or freeze.
I heard you’re not supposed to rake up the thatch when you’re done, is that true? I noticed he blew it into a pile once the dead material was at the surface.
Using the blower gets a cleaner finished product but there’s nothing wrong with raking it too. Thanks for the comment!
Best time to de-thatch is when the grass is dry and the ground is moist.
I have lots of weed on my lawn, should I spray it down with herbicide and wait a few weeks before dethatching or dethatch first and then spray the weeds?
I would spray the weeds out then dethatch after.
@@lakehouselawncare1755 thanks for your input