@@WhitieInVermont I highly recommend the Greenworks dethatcher. I've had one a few years. It's not heavy and easy to use as long as you manage your electric cord without running over it--just move the cord to one side as you go. (Also buy a cord that is rated for the amps on the machine.)
You should still rent a machine. The weight is there for a reason. You want to get some centimeter down in the ground. Not just scratching the surface. Thought this was obvious.
I dethatched my St. Augustinegrass lawn a few years ago. My neighbors thought I was nuts until they saw how much junk I pulled out of it, and how green and lush it looked a month later. It's worth it!
Exactly what I was looking for. Did you use the Greenworks one? Tines or blades? What height did you use on the machine? Just as you say some say NOT to use on St Augustine
My Dethatcher is shipping in today. My pops passed away back in Dec of last year so I'm handling his yard. I got my Eco Cordless Lawn Mower, I'm going to Liquid aerate the lawn and I got Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed. None of these investments and planning wouldn't have happened without your videos. Thank you can't wait to get started this Friday.
My husband and I just finished dethatching out lawn today! Thanks to the last video (and the community post about a 1 day sale!) we got the Greenworks dethatcher and it worked wonders! It didn't get damaged or do damage when we went over tree roots that run through the lawn, it didn't throw loose stones or sticks up at us, and it pulled up the moss we had growing in our lawn really well! We have a large, neglected lawn and all of these lawn care videos have been a god send. We just fertilized after we dethatched, next is seed, and then in a month or two, a tenacity treatment!
i still have a kees power rake i picked offthe street and sold a F1 Bluebird i gotfrom a scrap yard for $3.00 put a $50 engine and belt sanded prime and painted sold.it for $500
I have to assume best to dethach in the fall like late September . Spring time seems to be not as good due to lawn is just waking up from the winter and you could do more damage in spring
I dethatched my yard by hand with a landscape rake, worked really well, made huge piles of thatch, but was a TON of work and took and entire Saturday to do the front and back. I recommend paying someone or renting a machine haha.
Extra tip: After dethatching your lawn, use a rotary fertilizer spreader loaded with high quality grass seed and overseed your lawn. Ideally do this a day in the spring before heavy rain is due. Your lawn will turn out great! Silver Cymbal - love your videos! Keep up the awesome work!!!
@@TJP2010555 not like you can predict the amount of rain with any real reliability, though. Here in New England if they say rain that means anything from "meh, sort of misty" to "what the hell runnnnnn".
Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower th-cam.com/users/postUgkxTPN04aT-Qdjr_KS3ql7ng8wnU3wwsCqk also recommend This is what all push mowers should strive for. It was easy to push. It cut the lawn. The blades are sharp, very sharp. The one minus that everyone should be aware of is you need to be very careful taking the cutting unit out of the box. There’s a plastic guard so you don’t cut fingers as you take the main unit out of the box but it’s not taped down. As I took the unit out, I ended cutting a piece of my shirt. The plastic guard moved and my shirt touched one of the blades.
Just bought a green works and went nuts on my lawn. First time it's been done since my grandparents owned this house in the 1980s. On my way to a golf course quality lawn.
i use the thatch in my garden as a mulch to keep weeds down or in containers put 8-10 " in bottom of your container then good soil.and ypu find ypur plants will love it
I bought the Greenworks machine it impressed me. 6 truck bed loads of material to the compost site later, my lawn looks much better at this point in the spring. Don’t hesitate to buy that Greenworks machine, it is well worth it.
Nice and clear commentary, straight too the point, in 46 years across the 2 homes I have owned I have never scarified or aerated my lawns, yes I feel bad. Just bought a machine so wish me luck I will take it easy.
@@catherinesyme901 Catherine, I plan to scarify, reseed and topdress with a good multi purpose compost towards the end of April when hopefully I will have the sun shining on me. So currently purchasing the products needed also just received my Gardena Drop Seeding machine via Amazon. Have a wonderful day.😊
Getting rid off excess dead stuff sounds like a healthy solution to a withering lawn. I've never heard of dethatching before but it makes total sense. I think I would start with the manual rake first and do sections of the lawn. The groundskeeper rake would make a good gift for my husband. We'll try it.
I got mine at local ACE Hardware -- a bit cheaper - got it fast cause I went over and picked it up - no shipping charges - cheaper than Amazon or other lawn supply places and happy with results -- I would still use Sun Joe for initial dethatch and use the rake to pick up excess -- the rake also works good for raking in new seed or touch up after you lay down some seed but NOT for doing entire yard.. Whew, that would be a work out... Start early in AM cause you'll put in a big day....
Doing it manually (with a hard rake and leaf rake is really strenuous work and incredibly time consuming. I'm buying the electric mower lol i just did mine by hand. And your lawn doesn't have to be withering for this. There's tons of thatch in healthy yards
The groundskeeper rake is a good investment for your lawn care toolbox. However, I would not recommend it for doing a dethatch for an entire yard as the poster below mentions. The rake really grabs the turf and does a good job for smaller areas or for spreading soil on top of newly seeded turf areas, but holy cow.. you'd be out there forever doing that task. I got a Sun Joe machine on sale and used it for first time this year. Works great. Yes, there's a bit of work to do with that too, but much easier on the ole' body. Then, I went over the areas with my Greenskeeper rake to pick up any excess laying around.. Now that worked good and the rake does come in handy.... Or better yet. Hire the local landscaping company to come in and do that task and sit in driveway and admire the finished job. They will usually haul away the debris too and you'll save money on those brown bags for clippings too... You'll need a lot of them once the Sun Joe gets to work....
I'm a bit north of you in Southern Maine...had a couple days of Spring weather and itching to get the Greenworks and Sun Joe out and get all that dead and matted material out of the lawn. Couldn't believe how much stuff came up last fall after bagging for the entire season....I was truly blown away by all the dead grass that was raked out. I'm talking huge, HUGE mounds...looked like someone broke up bales of hay and spread them all over the lawn (!). I use the Greenworks to dethatch and the SunJoe to scarify so when I reseed makes better soil contact. Both look like Playskool plastic toys but I've beat on them pretty good and not a single issue (1/2 acre lot w/10,000 sq ft of lawn).
I purchased the Greenworks dethatcher on your recommendation and had excellent results with both moss and thatch. following four years of no dethatching. I was able to complete about 4800 square feet of lawn in less than an hour, and filled 3 trash containers for disposal. Thanks.
I have found with midwestern grasses that keeping a consistent 1/2" of thatch at the soil level maintains moisture in the soil, and also allows for a nice bed for new seeds to germinate. What works for me, may not work for you though.
I have the Greenworks and I LOVE it. I have a new build with builder grade lawn and have spent several years learning about how to deal with crappy lawns. lol I have a smaller yard, but still a bit too big to hand rake it (done it once, never again). I am hiring out the core aeration this year, but I've already dethatched and it already looks better in two weeks and the grass is starting to come back and grow. I love it for removing moss. I was able to treat it and then run the Green Works over it and it was awesome. Since I have a smallish yard, I just run the mower over the lawn like a vacuum. lol
Hello - sorry this is random - I was wondering how your yard is a year later? Your situation is identical to mine and my Greenworks dethatcher is en route as I type this. Our lawn has driven us NUTS after finally buying our "house of dreams" in 2019. Thanks. Dave
I live in Southeastern Wisconsin and I've dethatched my .75 acre yard 3 times already this year. This most recent time was the worst since the lawn growth is at the fastest time of the year. I've found that there are parts of my lawn which gets more matted down and the grass starts to grow horizontally underneath the matted portions and I'm left with long leafy blades of grass after dethatching in some spots, and since I don't bag my lawn clippings they seem to build up and become compacted after only a few mows in between dethatching. I'm sure it doesn't help that up until recently we have had a prety taxing drought in this area and the drying up of everything adds to the amount of thatch material that I end up with when I'm finished. But it does make a huge difference in the appearance and overall health of my lawn everytime I dethatch it.
One more tip before dethatching is to mow and bag as low as possible first. It’s easier to untangle matted thatch when the lawn is short. This props grass blades upwards from being shorter and stiff to expose more soil, giving seed to soil contact. Thatch when it’s too long and you’re yanking on the lawn instead of combing it. For cool season grass, do this when temp highs are consistently below 75. Will allow you to get away with shorter cuts without burning out.
Purchased this machine and like it a lot. I really like your videos. You explain things very well . Plus you have a very good speaking voice. Thanks for the information you give.
@Adrian0-tx9nb brother I work on a property with multiple lawns and a baseball field. I don’t have the time bro it’s completely unrealistic. I’d rather mow the baseball field with the push mower than that.
Worked great! On google maps my yard is 8000 sq ft and it worked great with a 100 foot, 14 amp extension cord. It’s actually kind of shocking how much you pick up. Almost like running a robotic vacuum on your floor when you think it looks clean already. It took awhile to get used to the cord but if you work from the plug outwards it’s no problem. I cut my yard short two days ago, dethatched and then ran my mower high last night and then put down some Anderson weed and feed (as you suggested) early this morning and plan to aerate and overseed tomorrow! For me using the II setting was great for the dethatcher and I was also very impressed by it. Tip I have is to either go in circles and be smooth about it or to do a circle on the perimeter and then go in rows and let go of the bar as you get to the edge and then turn around and go down a new row. I found both ways the easiest so you are digging up the grass too much aligning to go down a new strip of lawn.
Another timely and very relevant video. I think the Groundskeeper II rake is one of the most invaluable tools in my arsenal. And I added the Brand: BackEZ 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,155Reviews Back-Saving Tool Handle Attachment, Labor-Saving Ergonomic Shovel, or Rake Handle Add-on, Yellow
I also got to greenworks dethatcher and I love it lightweight does the job,, first time I've had to dethatch a yard with this zoysia grass. I had a problem after about 2 hours of use,,, the non-drive bearing got some small Vines wrapped around it and kept accumulating,,, and what that did was push the plastic housing outward, which left that bearing unseated from its intended socket and was flopping around quite a bit,,, noisy and some vibration. It was good that I looked at it when I noticed it - it would have quickly gotten much worse. I like that it's plastic because I was able to take that nylon socket bearing housing off without having to take anything else off,,, I just gently pryed it out,,, what had happened was a whole bunch of grass got behind and lodged into the bearing housing socket and prevented that bearing from seating at all - it was just flopping out in the breeze. So I got all the grass dug out of that put it back together and voila it went back together just perfectly and it's being held tightly with no slop just like it's supposed to. Overall that was a very easy fix and I'm very happy that I investigated that and wanted to share it with you and the rest of the crowd. Perhaps you might want to share this more openly to a wider audience,,,,,,you have my blessings if you want to do that. I absolutely love your channel!!! I've purchased several of the tools that you showcased,,, most recently that vacuum oil pump - REALLY looking forward to that,,,, I had no idea such a thing existed
Just ordered my green works machine today from Amazon 😄 can’t wait to use it 😄 Last year it cost me $400 to buy the attachment for my walker mower. Great video SC 👍🏻
I still own the Walker dethatcher and don't even use it. It's a good thing but it's so rough compared to this little machine. For commercial use it will definitely make you money and the greenworks isn't good for that but for home its amazing.
I dethatched my yard once many years ago (in the fall I believe), and the lawn did VERY well that next year. Not sure why I've never done it since, apart from the fact that it took forever to clean up all the debris!
Rake really does good job.. Be ready for a little workout though...I also got a Sun Joe machine ..came to me highly recommended and "on sale" on Amazon..
the greenworks is what I use in the spring right when it starts to green like he said it works I couldn't believe how much thatch there I go over it twice
Liked the video. Learned a lot. Still have a question. Once you run the machine over it: 1) do you pick it up or leave it and cut over it 2) if you pick it up, HOW do you do it?
Thanks, this was the first video that explained why the thatch wasn't good as natural compost in the yard. I wouldn't add to my compost bin either due to all the weed seeds that would eventually end up in my garden. I know if it gets hot enough it should kill the seeds, but if it doesn't...... oh boy!
3rd product I have purchased after watching your review. Toro Timesaver, Makita string trimmer and now this. All are excellent products. In fact, I just finished dethatching my front yard an hour ago. Now how about a cordless hedge trimmer review? Thank you!
I bought the greenworks dethatching machine after watching your video a week or so ago, and they had a one day deal that made the machine even more affordable. I’m looking forward to using it soon here in the pacific NW, once we get a few days of dry weather: )
I maintain 30,000 sq. ft. of lawn. I use a tow-behind rake each fall. It takes about two hours to make two complete perpendicular passes, with pauses to pull the thatch out of the tines. Then, the fun begins: picking up the thatch. I get 70-80 bushels of thatch. It's a dusty, messy, gritty job. It's the only part of lawn care I really don't like. Then, I seed.
Hi I have watched most of ur videos. I have a simple question about the timeline. When is the best time for fertilizing , overseeding, and applying tanecity? I’m thinking doing these jobs systematically. Can you make a video about the sequence and time/date/temp on these jobs? I’m living in CT so ur experience and advice are the most valuable throughout the internet.
I've bought the machine and the rake. Now my question is: should I dethatch frist or aerate? Thanks for all your videos! They have taught and motivated me so much!
Silver Cymbal - Which is a better way to go? 1. Dethatch then RESEED, 2. Aerator then reseed, 3. Dethatch, Aerator then reseed? I plan on working on my yard this spring.
Random question- after you went over the grass it showed it all over the yard, so I assume it doesn't pick it up? Do you then have to still take it all to get it off?
Yes. The sun Jo has a bag attachment, but it’s really small. It’s honestly easier to just leave off the bag and either blow it into piles and rake into bags, or use a bagged lawn mower, run it around and it will pick up most of it. Raking is inescable.
I took my mower over the dethatched area and bagged it up. First time I had to go buy yard bags for all the waste. After aerating, seeding and watering, my lawn looks amazing.
Question 1 @Silver Cymbal : Is that a Gravely Atlas in the background and are you happy with it? 2. At the end of the vid, there's a small, pure white doggo: Is that a Japanese Spitz? Really liked the video. I dethatched a customers lawn at the end of april and it made a freaking huge difference. Their lawn isn't nearly as big as the one you showed, but man, we filled up 4-5 garbage bags completely, even after compressing it, and this came from a relatively small lawn compared to yours. I can't wait to see the result later this summer!
I’ve noticed per a couple properties cool season and warm season. I detach and scarify and then I always bag everything. The ideal nutrient I should get from mulch never works for me Once I get it all up and the bag from then on. I get great drainage and stronger growth. Just seems better for what I’m doing
I have a mid to large lawn Love my dethacher and scarifier. But I just got the groundskeeper iI against fence line after weed wacker. Then I bagger can pick up up nicely
Hi! I'm a first time homeowner and I really want to be like my daddy and give my family a beautiful yard like he gave us when I was growing up. Question: Can I hit the weeds first with the Tenacity, dethatch, then aerate? Thanks for all your awesome videos.
+ SoulfulChaos You want to get all of your long-acting herbicide done first, probably 30 to 60 days before new grass. The weed killer can affect the new growth. I dethatch in the fall before aerating and seed and heavy watering for at least four weeks. Also I don't mow for four to five weeks after seeding so that I have a thick growth--it's lush after the next mowing.
Just watched the small lawn makeover. Can you advise if these are the steps needed to receive ugly lawn & is it ok to do this now (April): 1) cut in lower setting or 2" high? 2) dethatch? 3) put down good qlty grass seed 4) take to mix seed into soil 5) keep see watered I was intial just going to put down scotts 3x weed and feed but not sure what to do first. Seed to revive lawn per steps above or just mow and use the scotts or a combo of both?
Excellent again. Watch many of your visions. Getting ready to go for it on my lawn. Bought the groundskeper2, a dethatching rake for trim Work. Got the green machine you recommended here. So Dethatch Spray weeds After dry seed? Rake in seed Peat cover Water water water Is aeration critical in recovery restoration work? Thanks again!!!
My family and I just got our first home and we want to fix the grass in our yard. We do have a dead grass and I was wondering what do you do with the dead grass...so we could just turn it over in the soil and leave it? I was struggling if I should throw it out. Any advice is appreciated for a newbie! Thank you!!
Bought and used the green works machine in the fall. It worked great and really got the thatch out. However, I opened up the shed the other day and I guess the tank froze over the winter as there was a huge black grease/oil stain on the floor. Shame on me I suppose, but wanted to give everyone a heads up to store it somewhere insulated if it gets cold in your area.
Oil from the greenworks? I had mine in my shed all winter also. I have no heat out there. I actually was afraid mice would eat the wires, but I didn't think there was anything in it to freeze.
Dethatching now, but beware of bee nests, little circular holes in the grass. I ran over a few and got stung 5x! I wonder if there's a better time to do it to avoid these encounters.
Great video, we bought on of the Greenworks machines last year 👍 Just to let you know, the text in the last few seconds of your video shows : To make your lawn look beter, better is spelled with two t’s. 👍🍻🇨🇦
Thanks for sharing your review. I am pondering the thought of purchasing either a Greenworks Dethatcher or Sun Joe; maybe a Cultivator to tear up the heavily weed infested areas of our lawn. Every time I get close to purchase sod for these areas then a new project with higher priority prevents me from finishing the lawn. Sometimes it will be bad storms that set me back another year. I live in Florida and underneath all the years of our [my Father and now me] effort of maintaining our lawn is the natural ground called sand: we never used any power equipment to perform either core aeration, dethatching or power raking. I have noticed that wherever I pulled weeds while on my hands and knees [I hate doing this, but it appears to be the best of removing mature weeds] with small hand tools and then raking the area with both rakes soft and hard then the Classic Saint Augustine grass appears to recover. Our property is ~ one-(1) acre and it is brutal to maintain. "This gray, fine soil is called Myakka, (pronounced My-yakah), an Indian word for "big waters." Only found in Florida, Myakka covers the majority of the state-more than 1½ million acres-and is actually our official state soil." - gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/planting/florida-soil.html
They are two truly amazing tools. When I look back at the super expensive Swardman dethatcher that cost literally thousands it just goes to show you don't have to always spend a lot to get a lot
Thanks for the video! What are your thoughts on using lawn sweepers to aid in the dethatching process? If the lawn sweep is used regularly, won't that be the same as a "mini-dethatching" between actual dethatching? I have a lawn with wireweed that I need to rid myself of if you have any videos on this issue I would love to see them!!
The rental shown at 3:04 is a scarifier which is different than the tines of a dethatcher. Scarifier is much more aggressive on turf and should be use for slice seeding the ground as opposed to detaching to remove dead debris. One additional tip not mentioned for dethatching is it helps with fungus issues by removing it.
Actually, the tines on a dethatcher only act as a power rake, cleaning up surface debris, where as the scarifier is more of a dethatcher, because it actually cuts into the turf, removing thatch.
Thanks for the video and the notice about the Greenworks dethatcher, it came yesterday and I used it today in the backyard. Tomorrow the front yard gets the treatment. I left the wheel adjustment on “III” what height setting do you recommend?
Rake into small piles every 5 feet and scoop up into a wheel barrow, dump in compost or 50 gallon waste bin Or.. use a leaf blower on a windy day and blow it into the neighbors yard.
I also live in the northeast, not too far from you. I have recently dethatched my lawn and wondering when it would be ok to apply herbicide? Love your videos and support.
If you overseed in fall after a gas power rake, should you skip the dethatching in the spring? or maybe just use a normal rake to be more gentle to clean up dead grass from winter/ open it up before putting down the first fertilizer N boost?
I got the electric dethatcher and other than the cord always getting in the way...it worked like a charm. I have the rake but even that was WAY WAY too much work and didn't get up nearly the amount that the electric one did. Thank you Silver Cymbal. However you did recommend a liquid one in a previous video!
Yes I got on Amazon for $89 and my neighbors were like "whoa what is that?" Used it few weeks ago and is amazing. I filled 6, 55gal bags of thatch from a .4 acre yard.
@@Stinkyjo55 I did use a bagger to begin with but also decided to rake as well. It seemed just as efficient. My brother used it also and was impressed.
I received so many questions on dethatching I hope this video helps! Please LIKE & SUBSCRIBE - Greenworks Dethatcher: amzn.to/2z4NaeY
I am thinking about getting it. I ordered the weed wacker that your last video had. Thanks for everything you do. I love your channel!
How about for summer grasses like centipede?
@@WhitieInVermont Thank you so much
@@WhitieInVermont I highly recommend the Greenworks dethatcher. I've had one a few years. It's not heavy and easy to use as long as you manage your electric cord without running over it--just move the cord to one side as you go. (Also buy a cord that is rated for the amps on the machine.)
You should still rent a machine. The weight is there for a reason. You want to get some centimeter down in the ground. Not just scratching the surface. Thought this was obvious.
I dethatched my St. Augustinegrass lawn a few years ago. My neighbors thought I was nuts until they saw how much junk I pulled out of it, and how green and lush it looked a month later. It's worth it!
I was like your neighbors till i did my own. Wow! Within days I noticed a difference
Exactly what I was looking for. Did you use the Greenworks one? Tines or blades? What height did you use on the machine? Just as you say some say NOT to use on St Augustine
I’ve heard to not use the de thatch blade and always use the scarifying blade only from a big shot on YT Doc??
What did you use to dethatch?
My Dethatcher is shipping in today. My pops passed away back in Dec of last year so I'm handling his yard. I got my Eco Cordless Lawn Mower, I'm going to Liquid aerate the lawn and I got Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed. None of these investments and planning wouldn't have happened without your videos. Thank you can't wait to get started this Friday.
Great video. New home owner and I am now obsessed with learning how to make my lawn look better.
Side bar: love the way you say “Bett’uh”.
Congrats on your home purchase. Something to be proud of.
My husband and I just finished dethatching out lawn today! Thanks to the last video (and the community post about a 1 day sale!) we got the Greenworks dethatcher and it worked wonders! It didn't get damaged or do damage when we went over tree roots that run through the lawn, it didn't throw loose stones or sticks up at us, and it pulled up the moss we had growing in our lawn really well! We have a large, neglected lawn and all of these lawn care videos have been a god send. We just fertilized after we dethatched, next is seed, and then in a month or two, a tenacity treatment!
Compared to rentals, this is so nice and controllable. Glad to hear you had that experience too. Feels like a vacuum cleaner on the lawn.
i still have a kees power rake i picked offthe street and sold a F1 Bluebird i gotfrom a scrap yard for $3.00 put a $50 engine and belt sanded prime and painted sold.it for $500
Did you order yours on Sunday? I haven’t received mine yet :(
I have to assume best to dethach in the fall like late September . Spring time seems to be not as good due to lawn is just waking up from the winter and you could do more damage in spring
I dethatched my yard by hand with a landscape rake, worked really well, made huge piles of thatch, but was a TON of work and took and entire Saturday to do the front and back. I recommend paying someone or renting a machine haha.
Extra tip: After dethatching your lawn, use a rotary fertilizer spreader loaded with high quality grass seed and overseed your lawn. Ideally do this a day in the spring before heavy rain is due. Your lawn will turn out great! Silver Cymbal - love your videos! Keep up the awesome work!!!
For most US locations ideally seed in the FALL.
Fall not spring
“Heavy” rain can also wash out the seed. LOL over seed in the fall
@@TJP2010555 not like you can predict the amount of rain with any real reliability, though. Here in New England if they say rain that means anything from "meh, sort of misty" to "what the hell runnnnnn".
You don’t need to fertilize or overseed. Speaking from experience, had excellent results.
Literally dethached right before this video came out
Huge mistake
You're screwed
RIP
F
Sell the house
Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower th-cam.com/users/postUgkxTPN04aT-Qdjr_KS3ql7ng8wnU3wwsCqk also recommend This is what all push mowers should strive for. It was easy to push. It cut the lawn. The blades are sharp, very sharp. The one minus that everyone should be aware of is you need to be very careful taking the cutting unit out of the box. There’s a plastic guard so you don’t cut fingers as you take the main unit out of the box but it’s not taped down. As I took the unit out, I ended cutting a piece of my shirt. The plastic guard moved and my shirt touched one of the blades.
Just bought a green works and went nuts on my lawn. First time it's been done since my grandparents owned this house in the 1980s. On my way to a golf course quality lawn.
Glad to hear that, it's an unbelievable capable little machine and what it removes is staggering.
i use the thatch in my garden as a mulch to keep weeds down or in containers put 8-10 " in bottom of your container then good soil.and ypu find ypur plants will love it
Did you just put it down on the soil or did you mix it with anything?
Bought one of these machines a couple weeks ago. Fantastic little machine. Well worth the money.
I had a Greenworks for two seasons before purchasing a Swardman. The Greenworks was great.
I bought the Greenworks machine it impressed me. 6 truck bed loads of material to the compost site later, my lawn looks much better at this point in the spring.
Don’t hesitate to buy that Greenworks machine, it is well worth it.
So glad to hear your good experience with it. It's obvious how i feel about this thing.
Just got mine on Amazon for $65. ....NEW! Works great.
The machine or the rake?
Nice and clear commentary, straight too the point, in 46 years across the 2 homes I have owned I have never scarified or aerated my lawns, yes I feel bad. Just bought a machine so wish me luck I will take it easy.
How did it go my friend?
@@catherinesyme901 Catherine, I plan to scarify, reseed and topdress with a good multi purpose compost towards the end of April when hopefully I will have the sun shining on me. So currently purchasing the products needed also just received my Gardena Drop Seeding machine via Amazon. Have a wonderful day.😊
Getting rid off excess dead stuff sounds like a healthy solution to a withering lawn. I've never heard of dethatching before but it makes total sense. I think I would start with the manual rake first and do sections of the lawn. The groundskeeper rake would make a good gift for my husband. We'll try it.
I got mine at local ACE Hardware -- a bit cheaper - got it fast cause I went over and picked it up - no shipping charges - cheaper than Amazon or other lawn supply places and happy with results -- I would still use Sun Joe for initial dethatch and use the rake to pick up excess -- the rake also works good for raking in new seed or touch up after you lay down some seed but NOT for doing entire yard.. Whew, that would be a work out... Start early in AM cause you'll put in a big day....
Doing it manually (with a hard rake and leaf rake is really strenuous work and incredibly time consuming. I'm buying the electric mower lol i just did mine by hand. And your lawn doesn't have to be withering for this. There's tons of thatch in healthy yards
The groundskeeper rake is a good investment for your lawn care toolbox. However, I would not recommend it for doing a dethatch for an entire yard as the poster below mentions. The rake really grabs the turf and does a good job for smaller areas or for spreading soil on top of newly seeded turf areas, but holy cow.. you'd be out there forever doing that task. I got a Sun Joe machine on sale and used it for first time this year. Works great.
Yes, there's a bit of work to do with that too, but much easier on the ole' body. Then, I went over the areas with my Greenskeeper rake to pick up any excess laying around.. Now that worked good and the rake does come in handy.... Or better yet. Hire the local landscaping company to come in and do that task and sit in driveway and admire the finished job. They will usually haul away the debris too and you'll save money on those brown bags for clippings too... You'll need a lot of them once the Sun Joe gets to work....
It's witheringbecause the thatch and moss are stopping water getting through. Eventually the moss will take over completely.
I'm a bit north of you in Southern Maine...had a couple days of Spring weather and itching to get the Greenworks and Sun Joe out and get all that dead and matted material out of the lawn. Couldn't believe how much stuff came up last fall after bagging for the entire season....I was truly blown away by all the dead grass that was raked out. I'm talking huge, HUGE mounds...looked like someone broke up bales of hay and spread them all over the lawn (!). I use the Greenworks to dethatch and the SunJoe to scarify so when I reseed makes better soil contact. Both look like Playskool plastic toys but I've beat on them pretty good and not a single issue (1/2 acre lot w/10,000 sq ft of lawn).
I actually started doing this and didn’t know it was a good thing!!! Great to hear that there’s a machine for larger yards!
I purchased the Greenworks dethatcher on your recommendation and had excellent results with both moss and thatch. following four years of no dethatching. I was able to complete about 4800 square feet of lawn in less than an hour, and filled 3 trash containers for disposal. Thanks.
me too... Hope yours has done you well!!
I have found with midwestern grasses that keeping a consistent 1/2" of thatch at the soil level maintains moisture in the soil, and also allows for a nice bed for new seeds to germinate. What works for me, may not work for you though.
I grabbed the Greenworks dethatcher when you posted the Amazon sale. Used it for the first time and loved it! It's awesome.
Great to hear! I am such a fan of it, fantastic machine so glad you like it too.
I have the Greenworks and I LOVE it. I have a new build with builder grade lawn and have spent several years learning about how to deal with crappy lawns. lol I have a smaller yard, but still a bit too big to hand rake it (done it once, never again). I am hiring out the core aeration this year, but I've already dethatched and it already looks better in two weeks and the grass is starting to come back and grow. I love it for removing moss. I was able to treat it and then run the Green Works over it and it was awesome. Since I have a smallish yard, I just run the mower over the lawn like a vacuum. lol
Hello - sorry this is random - I was wondering how your yard is a year later? Your situation is identical to mine and my Greenworks dethatcher is en route as I type this. Our lawn has driven us NUTS after finally buying our "house of dreams" in 2019. Thanks. Dave
Best dethatching video I've seen. You answered every question that I've had about dethatching. Thank you.
FINALLY!!! an excellent video that helps an ordinary homeowner
I live in Southeastern Wisconsin and I've dethatched my .75 acre yard 3 times already this year. This most recent time was the worst since the lawn growth is at the fastest time of the year. I've found that there are parts of my lawn which gets more matted down and the grass starts to grow horizontally underneath the matted portions and I'm left with long leafy blades of grass after dethatching in some spots, and since I don't bag my lawn clippings they seem to build up and become compacted after only a few mows in between dethatching. I'm sure it doesn't help that up until recently we have had a prety taxing drought in this area and the drying up of everything adds to the amount of thatch material that I end up with when I'm finished. But it does make a huge difference in the appearance and overall health of my lawn everytime I dethatch it.
oop ’
I have the same machine and it is a great home machine. Light powerful, easy to store and effective.
One more tip before dethatching is to mow and bag as low as possible first. It’s easier to untangle matted thatch when the lawn is short. This props grass blades upwards from being shorter and stiff to expose more soil, giving seed to soil contact.
Thatch when it’s too long and you’re yanking on the lawn instead of combing it.
For cool season grass, do this when temp highs are consistently below 75. Will allow you to get away with shorter cuts without burning out.
Today years old and 1st time i have heard of this. Bt accident while i was shopping of a small electric mower. Now i also need to buy a dethatcher.
Purchased this machine and like it a lot. I really like your videos. You explain things very well . Plus you have a very good speaking voice. Thanks for the information you give.
I bought it per your recommendation and couldn’t be happier ... THAK YOU AGAIN !
So glad, I just used it again yesterday to finish another area. Such a great machine
I have one of these machines and it truly is amazing. Does a great job at the same price as a rental of a larger unit.
I bought a green works dethatcher last fall with an extra set of tines for $35 . Can’t wait to try it
Where did you get that from sheesh
After detaching I aerated with a $79 for a Green SCOTT aerator wheel for mowers 🇨🇦 as well they make their own TINES.
I just used mine today...works amazing 👍
So glad to hear! I wish all lawn tools could be this price and work so well.
I dont care how small the yard is, im not dethatching with a rake.
I have seen multiple videos showing that method and I absolutely could not see anyone doing that
Maybe if the rake was really wide
It takes FOREVER for anything other than a 25’x25’ space. It’s not practical for an entire yard.
@Adrian0-tx9nb brother I work on a property with multiple lawns and a baseball field. I don’t have the time bro it’s completely unrealistic. I’d rather mow the baseball field with the push mower than that.
lol facts OG
Worked great! On google maps my yard is 8000 sq ft and it worked great with a 100 foot, 14 amp extension cord. It’s actually kind of shocking how much you pick up. Almost like running a robotic vacuum on your floor when you think it looks clean already.
It took awhile to get used to the cord but if you work from the plug outwards it’s no problem.
I cut my yard short two days ago, dethatched and then ran my mower high last night and then put down some Anderson weed and feed (as you suggested) early this morning and plan to aerate and overseed tomorrow!
For me using the II setting was great for the dethatcher and I was also very impressed by it. Tip I have is to either go in circles and be smooth about it or to do a circle on the perimeter and then go in rows and let go of the bar as you get to the edge and then turn around and go down a new row. I found both ways the easiest so you are digging up the grass too much aligning to go down a new strip of lawn.
Another timely and very relevant video. I think the Groundskeeper II rake is one of the most invaluable tools in my arsenal. And I added the Brand: BackEZ
4.7 out of 5 stars 1,155Reviews
Back-Saving Tool Handle Attachment, Labor-Saving Ergonomic Shovel, or Rake Handle Add-on, Yellow
This video was phenomenal! Everything I needed to know, easily explained. And it was short, sweet, and to the point. Just ordered the same dethatcher.
I also got to greenworks dethatcher and I love it lightweight does the job,, first time I've had to dethatch a yard with this zoysia grass.
I had a problem after about 2 hours of use,,, the non-drive bearing got some small Vines wrapped around it and kept accumulating,,, and what that did was push the plastic housing outward, which left that bearing unseated from its intended socket and was flopping around quite a bit,,, noisy and some vibration. It was good that I looked at it when I noticed it - it would have quickly gotten much worse. I like that it's plastic because I was able to take that nylon socket bearing housing off without having to take anything else off,,, I just gently pryed it out,,, what had happened was a whole bunch of grass got behind and lodged into the bearing housing socket and prevented that bearing from seating at all - it was just flopping out in the breeze. So I got all the grass dug out of that put it back together and voila it went back together just perfectly and it's being held tightly with no slop just like it's supposed to. Overall that was a very easy fix and I'm very happy that I investigated that and wanted to share it with you and the rest of the crowd. Perhaps you might want to share this more openly to a wider audience,,,,,,you have my blessings if you want to do that.
I absolutely love your channel!!! I've purchased several of the tools that you showcased,,, most recently that vacuum oil pump - REALLY looking forward to that,,,, I had no idea such a thing existed
I plan on dethatching with a SunJoe right after my 1st cut. Thanks for the video.
That's great I have learned that the impact is huge, good stuff.
Just bought the Greenworks one today, right in time for the season by your recommendation.
I'm not a fan of it. It's fine for tiny yards, but larger ones, it's a no go.
Just ordered my green works machine today from Amazon 😄 can’t wait to use it 😄 Last year it cost me $400 to buy the attachment for my walker mower. Great video SC 👍🏻
I still own the Walker dethatcher and don't even use it. It's a good thing but it's so rough compared to this little machine. For commercial use it will definitely make you money and the greenworks isn't good for that but for home its amazing.
I dethatched my yard once many years ago (in the fall I believe), and the lawn did VERY well that next year. Not sure why I've never done it since, apart from the fact that it took forever to clean up all the debris!
Rake really does good job..
Be ready for a little workout though...I also got a Sun Joe machine ..came to me highly recommended and "on sale" on Amazon..
I use the sunjoe, lightweight, easy to handle and very strong motor and comes with scarifier besides the dethatch attatchment
the greenworks is what I use in the spring right when it starts to green like he said it works I couldn't believe how much thatch there I go over it twice
Liked the video. Learned a lot. Still have a question. Once you run the machine over it: 1) do you pick it up or leave it and cut over it 2) if you pick it up, HOW do you do it?
In a separate video he picks it up with a riding mower with a bagger attached
Great video just remember dethatching is very stressful on your grass so try to avoid doing it to much!
So is all the rain being absorbed by thatch and moss.
thaks just bought a husqvarna battery operated dethacher..man this thing is awesome....
Thanks, this was the first video that explained why the thatch wasn't good as natural compost in the yard. I wouldn't add to my compost bin either due to all the weed seeds that would eventually end up in my garden. I know if it gets hot enough it should kill the seeds, but if it doesn't...... oh boy!
I use a manual dethatching rake...great for the core and for the yard...hooah!
3rd product I have purchased after watching your review.
Toro Timesaver, Makita string trimmer and now this.
All are excellent products.
In fact, I just finished dethatching my front yard an hour ago.
Now how about a cordless hedge trimmer review?
Thank you!
I bought the greenworks dethatching machine after watching your video a week or so ago, and they had a one day deal that made the machine even more affordable. I’m looking forward to using it soon here in the pacific NW, once we get a few days of dry weather: )
How much was the one day deal?
Got mine for 85 on Amazon it was a green works deal of the day.
There also used to be 'dethatching' blades that you can attach to your lawn mower (switch out). That always worked well with a catch bag.
Works great for me on my midsize lawn.
I maintain 30,000 sq. ft. of lawn. I use a tow-behind rake each fall. It takes about two hours to make two complete perpendicular passes, with pauses to pull the thatch out of the tines. Then, the fun begins: picking up the thatch. I get 70-80 bushels of thatch. It's a dusty, messy, gritty job. It's the only part of lawn care I really don't like. Then, I seed.
The wife looked at me crazy for buying a $350 Ryobi Dethatcher but didn’t complain at how healthy and green the lawn look!
Hi I have watched most of ur videos. I have a simple question about the timeline. When is the best time for fertilizing , overseeding, and applying tanecity? I’m thinking doing these jobs systematically. Can you make a video about the sequence and time/date/temp on these jobs? I’m living in CT so ur experience and advice are the most valuable throughout the internet.
I've bought the machine and the rake. Now my question is: should I dethatch frist or aerate? Thanks for all your videos! They have taught and motivated me so much!
Ideally Dethatch first it will allow the aerator to get in a little easier but not a huge deal if you go the other way
@@SilverCymbal Perfect! Thanks!
Bought the green works dethacher on Amazon today. Was watching its price for close to a year and it dropped today. Thanks for your videos
Silver Cymbal - Which is a better way to go? 1. Dethatch then RESEED, 2. Aerator then reseed, 3. Dethatch, Aerator then reseed? I plan on working on my yard this spring.
I just bought a Worx plug in dethatcher. Should be delivered in the next little while. Thanks for the tips!
Random question- after you went over the grass it showed it all over the yard, so I assume it doesn't pick it up? Do you then have to still take it all to get it off?
Yes. The sun Jo has a bag attachment, but it’s really small. It’s honestly easier to just leave off the bag and either blow it into piles and rake into bags, or use a bagged lawn mower, run it around and it will pick up most of it. Raking is inescable.
I took my mower over the dethatched area and bagged it up. First time I had to go buy yard bags for all the waste. After aerating, seeding and watering, my lawn looks amazing.
Question 1 @Silver Cymbal
: Is that a Gravely Atlas in the background and are you happy with it?
2. At the end of the vid, there's a small, pure white doggo: Is that a Japanese Spitz?
Really liked the video. I dethatched a customers lawn at the end of april and it made a freaking huge difference. Their lawn isn't nearly as big as the one you showed, but man, we filled up 4-5 garbage bags completely, even after compressing it, and this came from a relatively small lawn compared to yours. I can't wait to see the result later this summer!
You are so right!!! This machine is so perfect!! Thank you for the video. Bought it after seeing your video. :)
Thank you! Great vid. Short and consice, all the basic questions one would look for.
Between you and a few others who used this machine I’m buying it!
I’ve noticed per a couple properties cool season and warm season.
I detach and scarify and then I always bag everything.
The ideal nutrient I should get from mulch never works for me
Once I get it all up and the bag from then on.
I get great drainage and stronger growth.
Just seems better for what I’m doing
Thank you for a great, easy to understand info on detaching a lawn.
Glad it was helpful!
I have a mid to large lawn
Love my dethacher and scarifier.
But I just got the groundskeeper iI against fence line after weed wacker. Then I bagger can pick up up nicely
Excellent, on-point presentation!
Thank you kindly!
Hi! I'm a first time homeowner and I really want to be like my daddy and give my family a beautiful yard like he gave us when I was growing up. Question: Can I hit the weeds first with the Tenacity, dethatch, then aerate? Thanks for all your awesome videos.
+ SoulfulChaos You want to get all of your long-acting herbicide done first, probably 30 to 60 days before new grass. The weed killer can affect the new growth. I dethatch in the fall before aerating and seed and heavy watering for at least four weeks. Also I don't mow for four to five weeks after seeding so that I have a thick growth--it's lush after the next mowing.
Just watched the small lawn makeover. Can you advise if these are the steps needed to receive ugly lawn & is it ok to do this now (April):
1) cut in lower setting or 2" high?
2) dethatch?
3) put down good qlty grass seed
4) take to mix seed into soil
5) keep see watered
I was intial just going to put down scotts 3x weed and feed but not sure what to do first. Seed to revive lawn per steps above or just mow and use the scotts or a combo of both?
Dethatch every spring religiously and then apply starter fertilizer with grass seed and small layer of organic soil. Rarely need to seed in the fall
Excellent again. Watch many of your visions. Getting ready to go for it on my lawn.
Bought the groundskeper2, a dethatching rake for trim
Work. Got the green machine you recommended here.
So
Dethatch
Spray weeds
After dry seed?
Rake in seed
Peat cover
Water water water
Is aeration critical in recovery restoration work?
Thanks again!!!
I used sunjoe first time , it's amazing and impressive , but only problem is electric cord, that's the Hassel to move around , other wise 5 stars
Ty for the info. Just recieved my Green Works today. Unfortunately didn't think to use the link on the post and went directly to my Amazon App.
I always appreciate when people use my links but I also am humbled that people watch my videos, so no worries!
My family and I just got our first home and we want to fix the grass in our yard.
We do have a dead grass and I was wondering what do you do with the dead grass...so we could just turn it over in the soil and leave it? I was struggling if I should throw it out.
Any advice is appreciated for a newbie! Thank you!!
I assume best to dethach in fall like late September and aerate at the same time.
This convinced me! I'm gonna buy a machine and get started. Great video!
Bought and used the green works machine in the fall. It worked great and really got the thatch out. However, I opened up the shed the other day and I guess the tank froze over the winter as there was a huge black grease/oil stain on the floor. Shame on me I suppose, but wanted to give everyone a heads up to store it somewhere insulated if it gets cold in your area.
Oil from the greenworks? I had mine in my shed all winter also. I have no heat out there. I actually was afraid mice would eat the wires, but I didn't think there was anything in it to freeze.
It's electric.
No oil
Can’t wait for the greenworks detacher to arrive, I order it thanks to you for $87👍👌
Where did you get it for 87 !?
@@robzzzzzz1 Amazon had them on sale.
Dethatching now, but beware of bee nests, little circular holes in the grass. I ran over a few and got stung 5x! I wonder if there's a better time to do it to avoid these encounters.
I did dethatching once and it grew so much clover
Great video, we bought on of the Greenworks machines last year 👍 Just to let you know, the text in the last few seconds of your video shows : To make your lawn look beter, better is spelled with two t’s. 👍🍻🇨🇦
Thanks for sharing your review. I am pondering the thought of purchasing either a Greenworks Dethatcher or Sun Joe; maybe a Cultivator to tear up the heavily weed infested areas of our lawn. Every time I get close to purchase sod for these areas then a new project with higher priority prevents me from finishing the lawn. Sometimes it will be bad storms that set me back another year.
I live in Florida and underneath all the years of our [my Father and now me] effort of maintaining our lawn is the natural ground called sand: we never used any power equipment to perform either core aeration, dethatching or power raking. I have noticed that wherever I pulled weeds while on my hands and knees [I hate doing this, but it appears to be the best of removing mature weeds] with small hand tools and then raking the area with both rakes soft and hard then the Classic Saint Augustine grass appears to recover. Our property is ~ one-(1) acre and it is brutal to maintain. "This gray, fine soil is called Myakka, (pronounced My-yakah), an Indian word for "big waters." Only found in Florida, Myakka covers the majority of the state-more than 1½ million acres-and is actually our official state soil." - gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/planting/florida-soil.html
Is it a good idea or not to scarifying the lawn after you dethatch it ?. I bought a machine that does both Love your video's
I'm definitely going to get that Rake!! I did get that Electronic Dethatcher last year from your Link!
They are two truly amazing tools. When I look back at the super expensive Swardman dethatcher that cost literally thousands it just goes to show you don't have to always spend a lot to get a lot
I got this rake last year and it is absolutely the best take i have ever used to to set hatch areas of the lawn and even fluff up the mulch beds!
Also bought that rake last year, it's great, wife really likes it too. It's also not expensive, good buy.
@J24777 I was thinking about getting the Electric dethatcher, but all those 1 star reviews are making me hesitate. Lots of 5 star reviews, too. 🤷♀️
@@sbender9518 Green works Brand. Definitely a good buy! I just done my lawn last week. I'm still waiting on the Rake. Lol. Delays in the Mail.
So after I dethatch my lawn, do I need to rake and bag up the thatch? Thanks in advance!
We use flail blades on our power rakes. No damage to quality sprinkler heads in our experience.
Quick question, once you’re done dethatching what do you do with all the leftover thatch on top and how do you get rid of it?
Suck it up with a bag mower or use a blower and collect at one pile
Thanks for the video! What are your thoughts on using lawn sweepers to aid in the dethatching process? If the lawn sweep is used regularly, won't that be the same as a "mini-dethatching" between actual dethatching? I have a lawn with wireweed that I need to rid myself of if you have any videos on this issue I would love to see them!!
I heard it's good to through seed out on your lawn once you have dethatched. Also fertizing
The rental shown at 3:04 is a scarifier which is different than the tines of a dethatcher. Scarifier is much more aggressive on turf and should be use for slice seeding the ground as opposed to detaching to remove dead debris. One additional tip not mentioned for dethatching is it helps with fungus issues by removing it.
I hope so. I'm currently relying on feeding the lawn to grow it out and never watering after 2 p.m.
Actually, the tines on a dethatcher only act as a power rake, cleaning up surface debris, where as the scarifier is more of a dethatcher, because it actually cuts into the turf, removing thatch.
Thanks for the video and the notice about the Greenworks dethatcher, it came yesterday and I used it today in the backyard. Tomorrow the front yard gets the treatment. I left the wheel adjustment on “III” what height setting do you recommend?
What's the best way to pick up the thatch once it's done?
push mower to collect debrid
bag em with the mower or rake.. latter works better if its a small patch of yard
Rake into small piles every 5 feet and scoop up into a wheel barrow, dump in compost or 50 gallon waste bin Or.. use a leaf blower on a windy day and blow it into the neighbors yard.
Rake it on top of tarp and drag it away.
Have a child, and make them follow behind you with a trash bag. Use the smart phone as an incentive.
I also live in the northeast, not too far from you. I have recently dethatched my lawn and wondering when it would be ok to apply herbicide? Love your videos and support.
+ Bill Woods Herbicide long before seeding because it can attack the new sprouts of grass--probably four to six weeks before.
If you overseed in fall after a gas power rake, should you skip the dethatching in the spring? or maybe just use a normal rake to be more gentle to clean up dead grass from winter/ open it up before putting down the first fertilizer N boost?
I got the electric dethatcher and other than the cord always getting in the way...it worked like a charm. I have the rake but even that was WAY WAY too much work and didn't get up nearly the amount that the electric one did. Thank you Silver Cymbal.
However you did recommend a liquid one in a previous video!
Just a tip, start closer to the electrical outlet and fan away from it to keep your cord from getting in the way.
Yes I got on Amazon for $89 and my neighbors were like "whoa what is that?" Used it few weeks ago and is amazing. I filled 6, 55gal bags of thatch from a .4 acre yard.
So glad to hear you are loving it too, great machine.
Did you use lawnmower to get the thatch up?
@@Stinkyjo55 I did use a bagger to begin with but also decided to rake as well. It seemed just as efficient. My brother used it also and was impressed.
How did you get it for 89? Its 129 right now.
@@SirPhilMcCrackinVonBeggington I don't know! I lucked out on a price war apparently. Either way it's worth it. Does a great job.