How to Revive Tired Grass and a Thinning Lawn (page 2 of 3)

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Too Much Thatch Chokes the Lawn

Thatch is a tightly woven layer of partially decomposed grass roots and stems that can develop over several years in the zone between the crown of the grass and the soil surface. Contrary to myth, grass clippings don’t contribute to thatch buildup, and power raking doesn’t cure it.

Thatch becomes a problem when it’s thicker than 1/4 in. It’s a sign that lawns have been overwatered at night, damaged by drought, overfertilized with high nitrogen fertilizer or that the soil is too alkaline. Thatch occurs most often in new lawns when sod is installed over dips and voids in the regraded yard or in poor or improperly prepared soil and is then incorrectly watered. Break down excess thatch by using a rotary spreader loaded with thatch decomposter mix on the lawn.

You Can Reverse the Damage

America is serious about growing grass. Since the mid-’90s, the total acreage of lawns (homes, golf courses, businesses, etc.) has exceeded the amount of land used for agriculture. Soil types and grass varieties differ by climate and region. Learn more about your soils, grass varieties and recommended lawn care practices by talking with experts at garden centers or a county extension agent. For a more complete lawn assessment, take along two 4 x 4 x 4-in. lawn samples cut from the best and worst areas of your yard.

Revitalize compacted soils once a year. Run a power core aerator over the lawn to pull up plugs of dirt, creating voids in the subterranean soil to provide space for and stimulate new root growth. The slashing action of the power rake’s vertical tines slits the soil’s surface where seed, nutrients and water can combine to regenerate the lawn.

The best time to aerate and reseed coolseason grasses (varieties like Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass) is four weeks before the trees lose their leaves in your area. The best time to rejuvenate warm-season grasses (varieties like zoysiagrass, bermudagrass, tall fescue and St. Augustine) is late spring. If you follow this plan, you’ll give your grass time to germinate, grow and recover from the aeration process before it goes dormant. You’ll also be able to establish a fuller, thicker lawn to help keep next season’s weed growth to a minimum.

Formulate a Game Plan

Power aerators and power rakes can usually be rented by the hour, half day or day. Because these two machines are in high demand (especially on weekends), ensure that your work plan will flow uninterrupted by reserving both machines in advance. Save some money by first renting the aerator, then picking up the power rake when you drop off the aerator. Rejuvenate your lawn using these strategies:

Budget your time: You should be able to aerate and power rake up to 5,000 sq. ft. in three to four hours.
Avoid renting aerators that are equipped with spikes and only roll over the lawn and perforate it. The core aerators that actually remove soil plugs—like the one shown—are vastly superior because they open up more soil volume.
Recruit a buddy who has either a pickup truck or a minivan to help wrangle these heavy lawn machines home and back to the rental center. Inquire whether your rental center offers delivery and pickup (at additional cost).
If your grass is thinned out, adopt a more aggressive plan for total lawn rejuvenation.
If your lawn has excess thatch or you’ve laid new seed, use the spreader and apply decomposter mix to both accelerate the decay of thatch left in the turf and increase seed germination and rooting. For help finding a local dealer for Natural Guard decomposter mix, call VPG at (903) 583-5501, ext. 124. The mix costs about $12 for a 20-lb. bag.
Complete any plan by watering your lawn with up to 1/2 in. of water for thin lawns and 1/4 in. for bare soil. Overwatering will wash away the seed and nutrients.

If you’ve never used an aerator or a power rake, practice on an isolated section of your yard. The first time I used a power core aerator, it nearly dragged me off the lawn and into the street. My uncle still enjoys recounting that story.