Using Biological Dethatcher

Thatch is a symptom of a poor soil. A thatch condition tells us this: Your soil is not bioactive or healthy enough to promote deep rooting of the grass and the decomposition of dead organic matter. Soil compaction, clay soil, poor pH (too acidic or alkaline), soil toxicity or sterility will all discourage bioactivity, and earthworms will be rare as well. Under these conditions, the soil's natural dethatcher microbes will not be able to multiply to levels where they can prevent thatch from forming.

Eliminating Thatch

If you have true thatch, you are not going to get much improvement by using a machine like a power rake or some version of a mechanical dethatcher. These will barely scratch into the matted layer of thatch. And if you set the blades deep into the thatch they will tear out the whole poorly rooted lawn. If you look at the drawing below you will see that there are barely any roots in the soil.

The real solution to thatch, and the best way to prevent it, is to improve your soil so it is aerated and bioactive enough to get the thatch to decompose. Create an environment that will allow dethatcher microbes to flourish. When you do this, the thatch will gradually begin to break down from the bottom (where it is in contact with the soil) up. It will turn into a rich, dark humus. It can take a couple of years to fully break up the thatch, but it will happen.

Step 1: Improve your soil.

We know that beneficial soil microbes, including dethatchers, cannot survive in soils that have no air in them. So, if you have a very compacted or clay-like soil, it is critical that you improve the soil aeration right away. Visit our Aerify and Aerify PLUS pages for more information on soil aeration and soil improvement.

If you believe your soil may be toxic or nearly sterile due to past chemical use, drench it with our Nature's Magic. Test the pH and add Lime as needed, but only if needed. If your soil is Acidic or too Alkaline it could dramatically slow down or even prevent thatch decomposition.

Step 2: Improve your soil bioactivity.

The fastest way to get specifically focused thatch-degrading enzymes and microbes into your soil is by applying Biological Dethatcher. This product contains carbonic enzymes that break down dead organic matter in thatch. I also contains dethatcher microbes that work to complete the decomposition process. Applications of Biological Dethatcher on a well-aerated soil will reduce thatch rapidly (up to 3/8” per application) and inoculate your soil with necessary beneficial microbes.

Other More Tips On Handling Thatch:

1. Keep the soil moist underneath the thatch layer. When it dries out, decomposition ceases. Less frequent, heavy watering is best. You want to encourage the roots to go down into the soil for water and not stay in a wet thatch layer.
2. Collect your clippings until the thatch problem is handled. They will only add to the thatch.
3. Your lawn will need regular fertilizing because dethatcher microorganisms need nitrogen to decompose thatch. Granular organic fertilizers may not be the best choice here because unless they are water soluble, they will sit on top of the thatch layer. After all, a lot of the thatch is already organic matter that isn’t breaking down fast enough.
4. Liquid fertilizers may be the best idea when thatch exists. They will go right through to the soil when watered in, and won’t get stuck in the thatch. Our Fish Emulsion is a great liquid fertilizer with numerous other soil and plant benefits. We also have a salt and chlorine free liquid 16-4-6 Bio-Enhanced Lawn Fertilizer that will work well. Regular applications of either will enhance the thatch decomposition.

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