*Please Note: RLM, Inc. provides dethatching to current RLM Turf & Fertilization clients only. This labor-intensive process is most effective when one company is in charge of all turf services. We are happy to give new clients a full-service Turf/Fertilization estimate to monitor your lawn and let the client know when the appropriate time is needed for a dethatching service. Please contact our office with questions.
One of the most crucial, yet overlooked, steps in proper lawn care is having your lawn dethatched. While many local homeowners have likely not heard of dethatching, this process should be performed along with lawn aeration and overseeding. A healthy lawn contains a half inch of thatch. A lawn needs to be dethatched when the thatch layer is an inch or more thick. Having the lawn dethatched when needed will promote stronger grass, prevent pests and lawn damage, and encourage vibrant, luscious growth all year. If a lawn is aerated each year, the lawn will have less thatch built up and will not require dethatching so often.
Keep your lawn healthy and robust with the help of the professionals at Ricci’s Landscape Management. We believe proper lawn care — including aeration, overseeding and dethatching services — is the cornerstone to promoting and ensuring long-term, beautiful lawn growth. That’s why we offer professional lawn dethatching services using the best techniques, tools and experts for lasting results.
What Is Thatch and the Dethatching Process?
Thatch is a layer of dead grass, roots and other debris that forms between the surface of the soil and the upper grass blades. A thin layer of thatch can be beneficial for your lawn, adding insulation against extreme temperatures, heavy foot traffic or harmful weed growth. Thicker layers of thatch exceeding 1/2″ can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the grass roots. Thatch can also attract pests and diseases which affect the health and quality of your turf.
Every year a lawn should be aerated. To determine if your yard needs dethatching, feel the surface of your grass for a spongy texture. For cool-season grasses found throughout Northwest Indiana, the best time to perform dethatching services is during the early fall, while the grass is experiencing prime growth and when it has plenty of time to recover from the stress before the chilly winter temperatures set in.
A professional will use specialized tools to smoothly cut through and loosen the layers of thatch in your lawn and pull those materials to the surface to be collected.
Advantages of Annual Dethatching Services
By removing the thick layers of dead grass and debris that have built up in your turf, you can ensure lasting lawn health and a lush appearance. The benefits of annual dethatching also include:
- Healthy, Deep Root Growth: With a dense layer of thatch, full grass growth is nearly impossible because air, nutrients and water cannot reach the roots. By removing excess thatch, these necessary elements can easily reach the roots and encourage deeper growth for improved resistance to drought, high temperatures and disease.
- Improved Fertilizer and Water Access: Thatch buildup restricts how effectively fertilizers can blend with the soil. By removing the debris, fertilizers have the opportunity to spread properly across the lawn.
- Better Drainage: Usually, excess surface moisture easily penetrates the soil and accesses the roots — but thatch prevents water from entering the ground, leaving it to saturate the surface of your lawn for longer periods of time.
For the Best Lawn Care Experts in Northwest Indiana, Contact RLM
At Ricci’s Landscape Management, we make quality services and gorgeous lawns and landscaping our top priority. Our experienced lawn care and maintenance experts work closely with homeowners throughout Valparaiso, Crown Point, Munster and elsewhere in Indiana to find effective, lasting lawn care solutions that best work for your yard. We provide long-term guidance and answer your questions throughout the process to ensure your property thrives for years to come.
Schedule lawn care and dethatching, aeration and overseeding services today by calling 219-996-2682 or by filling out our online form to request an estimate.