When is it time to thatch and aerate?
Thatch is a built-up dead grass, and it should be removed if it is more than ½ inch thick. Thatch chokes out grass plants, prevents air, water and nutrients from reaching the soil. Aeration and raking should remove much of the thatch. When aerating, use a device that removes soil cores rather than a corer that only punches holes in the soil. The holes left in the turf become an avenue for oxygen and water to enter. Aerating should be done at a time when the lawn is actively growing so that it can recover from any injury. It is best to core cool-season grasses in fall or early spring. Warm-season grasses are best cored in late spring or early summer. How frequently to core will depend on the extent of soil compaction. Heavy clay soil may need coring every year.
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