Tell me about a power rake

[DTro]

and do I need one?

Each spring my wife and I....mostly my wife, rakes the entire yard.

It's amazing how much dead grass is picked up and the yard ends up looking great.

It's a tough job though.

I've heard of power rakes.

Tell me more please

[IFallsRon]

I rented one several years ago. It was not self-propelled and it was like pushing the freezer around the yard.

[LABS4ME]

They work great for lifting dead grass and thatch. You want to make sure that you don't do it when the ground is saturated like right now. The blades should only go through the thatch layer and into the ground about 1/8"... It is quicker if you rent a power vacuum too. That way after you are done power raking, you can pick up all the debris with the vac. When complete, put your first application of fertilizer down for an pretty immediate green-up.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

 Originally Posted By: IFallsRon

I rented one several years ago. It was not self-propelled and it was like pushing the freezer around the yard.

I rented a self-propelled unit from Lesco last fall that was like chasing a freezer on roller skate wheels downhill on a sidewalk, and when it was time to turn it, it was like moving the deep freezer 1 corner at a time. I'm almost positive you can hire it out for $150 or less, and I'd highly recommend it.

[hoggs222]

They sell some universal 16" dethatch blades that you can put on your mower that work like a power rake. I think they are around $10-$12. They are only The trick is, don't stop the mower while it is running! You will carve a big circle in the ground.

[Shack]

I have found when one ask's about a "Power Rake", they could be asking about something like this:

To something like this:

Hey Dtro, do you have a riding lawn mower or do you push?

What I have found to be a very effective way is to buy a cheap pull behind style de-thatcher from a big box store (HD) and pull behind my mower. I then go and suck up all the left over stuff.

IMO, this is the same thing as using a power rack (I guess it is a power rake of sorts), you just have to go over it a couple times and it save money from spending $500.00 plus for a power rake of sorts.

[hoggs222]

Shack, I do the same thing with the pull behind dethatcher from HD. I just hate raking, so I have a cool beverage while getting the dead grass up with the rider.

[DTro]

 Originally Posted By: shackbash

Hey Dtro, do you have a riding lawn mower or do you push?

She pushes…..

(I know 10 lashes for that one)

Anyways I was just thinking I could rent something to make the manual raking easier each year.

We have a low spot on our backyard that the water likes to collect in before the ground thaws. Seems to be a thatch magnet.

Not an issue after the ground thaws though. I would put my soil against anyone’s for draining. I see $$ every time my sprinkler turns on.

[hoggs222]

Dtro,

Check out the dethatch blade for push mowers. It saves alot of back aches! I used one when I used the push mower.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Do you have a bagger on your mower?

If so, there's a spring rake that you can mount on the front of your mower.

I have one, made by JRCO, but there are other brands as well.

I drive the mower around the property, use this to loosen the stuff up out of the grass, and bag it up, all in one swipe.

Also, you say you have an area that prone to thatch before the ground thaws. Are you saying the grass gets flattened out in that area? Or that it grows thicker there?

It's really two different things. If it's just an area where the grass gets flattened out over winter, you could do something as simple as "fluff" it back up with a decent blower.

[eurolarva]

If you rent a de thatcher make sure you get the bag attachment for it. I have a 1/4 acre lot and it filled close to 40 leaf bags. Be careful around trees with shallow roots. The one I rented was not self propelled. I cant explain what it was like only I hated every minute of using the thing. Seemed as soon as you get going the bag is full. If you leave it on the ground and try and get it with a mower you have the same problem. I think with the invent of the leaf blower nobody rakes their yards anymore and because of that the thatching gets worse.

[DTro]

Thanks guys, I purchased the universal blade for my mower. Only problem is that it doesn't want to throw it in my bag, so I am raking it up and bagging. Still much easier than bagging alone.

I have the front done and about to go out and do the back.

[sparcebag]

Go to a shop and spend the 15-20 bucks for a blade for a bagger! it creates lots more lift & air flow to tget the grass into the bag.

[DTro]

I'll have to remember that. It wasn't all that difficult to rake up.

Finished it up today, put down my pre-emergent/fert and watered thoroughly.

Should be good to go thanks