Thatching Information

Thatch is a mat of plant material consisting mainly of grass stems and roots. A thin layer (1/2 inch or less) is normal and does no harm. In fact, a thin layer protects the grass crown and helps to reduce soil compaction. Thatch that has accumulated thicker than 1/2" prevents water from reaching the roots. Excessive thatch is usually caused by over-watering or over-fertilizing. If your lawn feels spongy when you walk on it, it has excessive thatch.

What causes excess thatch?

• Over-watering and over-fertilizing
• Poorly aerated soil (highly compacted, see aeration)
• Using high nitrogen based fertillizers
• Too-infrequent mowing

If your thatch layer is over 1/2", it should be removed with a vertical mower (verti-cutter) or power rake. These specialized machines cut through the sod and pull up the thatch. 

When should lawns be dethatched?

Dethatching should be performed in the early spring (March-April) or early fall (September-October). While dethatching can be done in early fall, it is recommended to perform in the early spring. Performing dethatching in early spring allows your turf to recover more quickly during the strong growing season.

What does this service cost?

Dethatching is a back-breaking, dirty job for even the most skilled homeowner. Olympic Landscape Maintenance, LLC provides professional dethatching, using commercial equipment, that removes damaging excess thatch. Our service includes: dethatching/power raking, thatch removal, and clean-up. To give your lawn an added boost, we recommend you have aeration services performed in conjunction with dethatching.

Olympic Landscape Maintenance, LLC provides professional core aeration service starting at around $45. Pricing depends on several factors, including lot size, landscape terrain (hills, slopes etc.), amount of thatch build-up and accessibility. We would be more than happy to provide you with a FREE, NO OBLIGATION quote for your lawn. Simply contact us via phone or email and we can schedule a time to visit your property.
 

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