How to Dethatch Lawn Grass

Lawn dethatching helps it to grow better.

Over time, lawns develop a thatch of dry, dead grass at the base of the grass blades. Thatch stops sun and water from reaching the roots of the grass and impedes growth. Most lawns benefit from a springtime dethatching so that the grass has time to recover over the summer.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Hand rake or power rake

Instructions

1. Use a knife to cut a wedge of turf down the soil. If the thatch, or dried grass, is more than 1/2 inch thick, you need to dethatch.

2. Water your grass. It's best to dethatch when the soil is wet rather than dry. Dethatching when the soil is dry may damage the turf.

3. Use a hand rake to pull up the thatch and the very top level of the soil. A power rake may also be rented for this purpose. A power rake is useful if the thatch is very thick or your lawn is large.

4. Dethatch in the spring, when the turf has plenty of time to recover before the winter.

References

• Missouri State University: Dethatching a Lawn
• Arizona State University: Turfgrass Dethatching