Time to thatch the yard?? how bout aerating??

[Ryan_V]

When is a good time to thatch the yard. I just picked up a thatcher and yard sweeper and now I'm itching to use them!!! I believe it's too wet right now, but how long 'til it's good to go??? how about aerating?? better in the spring or fall?? I'd also like to overseed a little bit also.

[harvey lee]

Ryan

I would wait until your lawn is dry,Your grass will pull out if the lawn is to wet as you stated.

I thatched my lawn today as it was dry enough and it looks very nice with no grass pulled or damaged roots.I then gave it a shot of fertilizer and now its ready to grow and mow.

[blue_healer_guy]

Way to early, give it a couple weeks.

[strat-o-caster]

Yea I agree to early!! It's best to do it in the fall... Strat

[hitthebricks]

Rule of thumb I heard today was, "if the grass retains your footprint it is too wet to work on". Golf courses don't thatch and only areate fairways in the fall, I like that idea, it's less work. HTB

[harvey lee]

hitthebricks

You must have been watching Bobby Jensen as I heard him say the same thing.Its all about if your lawn is dry.

[Powerstroke]

LIke was said dry lawn is best. I watched a company do it yesterday and they made a muddy mess. Looks like it will be dryy for severak days so go for it.

As far as aereating, its best done in the fall. I managed a lawncare company for 4 yrs and htis is when we did it.

The only thing I wanted to say is make sure you actually need these things done to your lawn. Your lawn will not benefit from de-thatching and aereating if you don't have a thatch problem. Generally you want to have about 1/2" of thatch layer in your lawn. This is the decomposing material from grass clippings and any other organic matter. It breaks down providing natural fertilizer to your lawn and provides a barrier to the actual topsoil.

With a normal client who insists on these services because "everyone in the neighborhood gets them".....or " I get flyers for this every spring, how come you never do this for me?".....

I take a soil sample and measure the thatch. Figure on aereatin gin the fall with overseeding every other year and dethatch as necessary. Raking (not power-raking or dethatching) the lawn in spring is very beneficial to get the grass un-matted down. This helps prevent fungal disease from forming in the wet matted grass.

[DEADhead]

thanks for the tips Powerstroke!

[schweady]

...whatever day "sidethatcher" comes 'round, bringin' the goods...

[FRESHWATER PETIE]

I tilled the garden this weekend. It was plenty dry, just about perfect. To early to plant anything though.

I live near Cambridge (45 min. north of the twin cites) and my yard is plenty dry. I think the frost is out also.