If you have a front or back yard, maintaining the grass and the look of the yard is very important. To keep your lawn looking fresh and clean, you’ll have to dethatch it. For new homeowners or potential homebuyers, you might ask what exactly dethatching is. It involves the process of removing thick thatch on your lawn. Thatch consists of dead grass, patches, matted roots, mulched leaves and other debris that hasn’t decomposed yet.

You know it’s time to start dethatching your lawn once the layer becomes too thick and cannot be penetrated. The health of your lawn and grass depends on dethatching and taking care of it, so you’ll want to make sure you maintain the upkeep.

Here are a few tips on dethatching your lawn.

Dethatching A Lawn

There are a few ways to dethatch a lawn, but the main way to do this is by using a rake. It’s important to note that raking regularly will maintain your lawn. There are a few types of rakes you can use that will dethatch your grass and cut through the soil. A leaf rake will get the job done and is a simple tool that you can use for dethatching. A garden rake, also known as a bow rake, is sturdy and one of the best tools you can use. A dethatching rake and a power rake are great tools to power through the thatch and get rid of dead grass and matter in your yard. When dethatching a lawn, push the rake lines down into the thatch area to reach the layer and dig deep.

Reducing Thatch and When To Dethatch

You can reduce the amount of thatch in your yard by regularly maintaining the upkeep on it. This includes regularly raking the lawn, using fertilizer and regularly watering your lawn.

Because thatch is mainly dead grass and patches, there are certain times of the year when it’s best to dethatch. The best time to dethatch is when the weather is slightly cool, that way it’s not too hot and humid but also not too cold. The best months of the year are between the end of August and the beginning of October. You can also dethatch in the late spring or early summer once the grass starts growing and before it gets too hot.

When to Hire a Professional

There are some jobs, especially yard and outdoor work, where hiring a professional is the best way to fix the issue. Dethatching a lawn can be very time-consuming and requires a good bit of labor. If you have a very large yard that needs a lot of work or if you don’t have all of the tools needed to do the job, this is when hiring a professional comes in handy. Professionals are less likely to damage your yard when dethatching because they are trained to know exactly what tools to use and how to do it. Once you establish a routine of raking and maintaining the upkeep of your yard, you’ll have to hire professionals less often.