• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X
  • Get a Quote
510-439-3700
Gardeners' Guild SF Bay Area Full Service Landscaping
  • About
    • Meet the Team
    • Affiliations
    • We’re Employee-Owned
  • Services
    • Exterior Maintenance
    • Interior Plant Care
    • Landscape Construction
    • Design – Build
    • Irrigation
    • Vegetation Management Services
    • Sustainable Landscaping
  • Galleries
    • Exterior Landscape Maintenance
    • Interior Plant Design & Maintenance
    • Landscape Design & Construction
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu

Understanding Thatch in the Lawn

July 3, 2013/in Commercial Landscapes, Irrigation & Water Management, Landscaper San Francisco Bay Area, Richmond Landscaper


For those of you who have lawns, you know they are time consuming to care for in terms of water, fertilization and weed abatement.

Does the grass feel spongy under your feet?  Do you notice it has brown patches?  The brown patches can be an irrigation problem, pest or a cultural issue.  Or – it could mean that your lawn has thatch.  The sponginess usually means it has thatch.

There is a lot of information on the web about what causes thatch and how to deal with it and I’ve pooled this information together for this blog entry.  It’s a timely topic because now is the time you may be able to prevent it.

What is Thatch?

A dense layer of living and dead plant material lying between the soil surface and green grass leaves.  Over time this accumulation of partially decomposed matter will become  thicker and increasingly resistant to moisture.

What Thatch is not

Leaf blades and grass clippings don’t contribute to thatch because they break down readily, returning the nutrients to the soil.  Grass clippings are beneficial.

What Happens

When the build-up of plant material are produced faster than they are breaking down thatch is formed.

When thatch becomes thicker than ¾” it restricts the intake of water and nutrients making the lawn more susceptible to insect and disease problems.

Here’s an important point – as thatch gets thicker, it is comprised of more roots.  These roots are not able to reach the soil, thus, your lawn will not receive moisture from the soil and these areas will turn brown.

Causes of Thatch

  • Soil Compaction
  • Improper mowing: good rule of thumb – No more than one-third of the grass blades should be cut at a time. When a lawn is “scalped” (more then 1/3 grass blade removed) the grass is weakened and can turn yellow or brown.
  • Over fertilization
  • Some grasses are more likely to form thatch than others. Bermuda grass, for example, has a high tendency to produce thatch.
  • Watering that is frequent, but shallow or over watering means there is less oxygen for roots and thatch layer does not decompose sufficiently.   This creates shallow roots which is a cause of thatch. Best is to water less frequently, but deeply.

 Getting rid of thatch

Best time for thatch removal is spring or fall.

If thatch is thick you should use a vertical mower with blades that are perpendicular to the turf surface.

I would advise you to hire a professional to remove thatch, or ask Gardeners’ Guild about your thatch problem.

Thatch Prevention

  • Aerating – Aerating perforates the soil and allows the roots to grow deeply
  • Appropriate Fertilization –
  • Infrequent deep watering which promotes healthier roots
  • Mowing often and cut only 1/3 grass blade

 

 

 

 

 

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on X
  • Share on X
  • Share by Mail
https://www.gardenersguild.com/wp-content/uploads/thatch.jpg 2008 3000 Gardeners Guild https://www.gardenersguild.com/wp-content/uploads/Gardeners-Guild-logo-web-tweak.png Gardeners Guild2013-07-03 21:31:432013-07-03 21:38:25Understanding Thatch in the Lawn
2 replies
  1. http://ferieiaalbaek.dk/favicon.asp
    http://ferieiaalbaek.dk/favicon.asp says:
    October 27, 2016 at 12:10 pm

    Thank you for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such fantastic information being shared freely out there.

    Reply
  2. Going Here
    Going Here says:
    December 16, 2016 at 4:05 pm

    I simply want to mention I’m very new to weblog and absolutely enjoyed this web blog. Probably I’m want to bookmark your blog . You absolutely come with tremendous posts. Thanks for revealing your web site.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe

Get the latest news and expert advice about landscape trends, water conservation, low maintenance gardens, tree care and more.

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

Latest Posts

  • 4 Landscape Trends in California Shaped by Climate Change
  • We deliver Poinsettias to San Francisco and Marin County offices
  • Expert Advice on Protecting Your Plants From Extreme Heat
  • How to Control Pests in the Landscape Naturally
  • 4 Landscape Trends in California Shaped by Climate Change

Categories

  • Blog (6)
  • Commercial Landscapes (75)
  • Drought (12)
  • Edible Gardening (1)
  • Integrated Pest Management (1)
  • Interior Plants (23)
  • Irrigation & Water Management (39)
  • Landscape Design (25)
  • Landscape Drainage (7)
  • Landscaper San Francisco Bay Area (117)
  • LEED (3)
  • Organic Soil Amendments (10)
  • Rain (4)
  • Rebuilding Soil (20)
  • Residential Landscaping (28)
  • Richmond California (12)
  • Richmond Landscaper (29)
  • San Francisco Bay Area Irrigation (10)
  • San Francisco Bay Area Landscape (7)
  • San Francisco Street Trees (2)
  • San Francisco Tree Maintenance (3)
  • San Francisco Trees (3)
  • SF Bay Area Container Gardening (3)
  • SF Bay Area Mosquito Protection (2)
  • Sustainability (9)
  • Tree Care (2)
  • Water Conservation (8)
  • Wildfire Safety (3)
  • Winter Vegetable Gardening Bay Area (3)
  • Zika SF Bay Area (1)

100% Employee Owned

Get a Quote
Join Our Team

Or call us at 510-439-3700

Copyright © 2022 Gardeners’ Guild Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Blog

January 13, 2025

4 Landscape Trends in California Shaped by Climate Change

November 21, 2024

We deliver Poinsettias to San Francisco and Marin County offices

August 8, 2024

Expert Advice on Protecting Your Plants From Extreme Heat

Subscribe

Get expert advice and the latest news from landscape industry insiders.  We cover both commercial and residential landscapes.  Includes special reports and news about landscape trends, water conservation, low maintenance gardens, tree care and plants.

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Scroll to top