The Grass Doctor

How do I green up my lawn and break down the thatch? HELP?

I mulch my lawn instead of collecting the lawn clippings in a bag. Unfortunately I have built up thatch in the process. I understand that some thatch is needed to keep the grass moisture content high and to help prevent some weeds. What can I place on the lawn to break down the thatch and green up my yellowish green lawn?

Public Comments

1. aerate? it helped my lawn. I don't know any products you could use other than just aerating. My yard itsn' t that big, so I just took one of those pitchfork things and pushed it into the dirt every couple of inches. There's all kinds of things you can use for it. I know a guy who made "shoes" out of scrap lumber and nails. He took a couple of boards that were about 1 ft long by 6 inch wide and 1 inch deep, and he nailed a few 3 inch nails into them. Then he drilled 2 holes in the boards, in the middle of the length, about an inch from the sides. He tied rope through these, with the rope forming a loop about waist high. Then he just "walked" around his yard, using the rope to pull the shoes back up out of the ground. I hope that makes sense. Or you could just rent a machine from home depot or lowes that can do the same thing. But the shoes are much cheaper.
2. Your thatch is building up and your lawn is yellowish as a result of low nitrogen. Without looking at it, I'd almost swear that is the case. Here's why... the grass.. Nitrogen is a plant's primary nutrient. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are the big 3 that a plant needs to photosynthesize. Those are the three numbers that you see on a package of fertilizer. Choose a fertilizer with a higher number in the first position (for example 25-5-10). This will help your grass green up. the thatch.. There are bacteria in the soil that break down organic materials and turn them back into soil.. They use nitrogen as a part of the breakdown process. If the nitrogen is available, the bacteria will break down the thatch more quickly. If your soil is Nitrogen deficient, the processes of photosynthesis and decomposition are being impaired. As a result, your lawn looks yellow.. It might be in your best interest to aerate your yard, This will bring soil up onto the thatch and it will help the thatch disappear more quickly. Further, it lets air, water and your nutrients get to the roots of the grass more quickly.. It is a good idea. FYI, I mulch my clippings, too.. and I don't have thatch issues.. Good luck!