question for your lawn care gurus. Do you thatch your lawn?
 
I always cut my own grass I find it therapeutic and enjoy seeing the finished results. I did however used to pay a service for fertilizing but last few years I just bought a bag of Scotts Turfbuilder and do it twice a year. Its easy enough and seems to do the trick, saved me a ton of money.
 
question for your lawn care gurus. Do you thatch your lawn?
Yes. Always in the fall. I cut my grass as short as possible with my mower and then de-thatch followed by aeration. If I have time, I’ll add a 1/4” layer of compost over the entire yard and oversees.
 
Does anyone have experience with one of these little DIY dethatcher / aerator machines? I like to DIY where I can, so I was looking at trying one of these this fall because I definitely have some thatch issues. But I’ve seen that plug aerators can be better for the yard especially where soil is compacted. Am I better of just hiring someone?
Greenworks 10 Amp 14-Inch Corded Dethatcher, 27022
 
I need to put down some summer nitrogen treatment. Will do that this week.
 
Does anyone have experience with one of these little DIY dethatcher / aerator machines? I like to DIY where I can, so I was looking at trying one of these this fall because I definitely have some thatch issues. But I’ve seen that plug aerators can be better for the yard especially where soil is compacted. Am I better of just hiring someone?
Greenworks 10 Amp 14-Inch Corded Dethatcher, 27022

I’ve watched lots of videos and it comes highly rated. The only negative is that it requires multiple passes to get as an effective result as a gas powered unit.

 
question for your lawn care gurus. Do you thatch your lawn?

I wouldn't consider myself a guru, but I mulch and do not thatch. My treatments include biologics that are supposed to promote decomposition of the thatch and it seems to work. I know serious lawn care people who have their lawns dethatched fairly regularly. FWIW, I find aeration has helped my lawn a lot.
 
question for your lawn care gurus. Do you thatch your lawn?
Never and I have beautiful 25 and 30 year old lawns. But I see this as due to: 1) consistency in providing care for my lawn, and 2) the fact that I live in an arid climate with 250 days of sunshine and a long growing season. Different grasses in different places will be different.
 
The grass is growing so fast right now. I mowed today despite it just being mowed 4 days ago. I also applied 22 lbs of the Double Dark so I’m really curious how the color will look in a week or so.
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Indeed. It is more like the "hobbies we hate the most"! I would rather hang drywall than manicure a lawn! What a waste of time, water, effort and money, but to each their own. At some time comes wisdom and experience...

Nah! Not buying it. A hobby is something you like to do. Work is something you have to do, and I have to cut my grass or the city will come after me!
 
Should I throw out everything I’ve been told about winterizing perennials? I didn’t trim back our roses, hydrangeas, blueberries, and peonies last fall because of the early season 32” snowfall. I expected severe damage, but these all have never looked healthier and are chock full of blooms like no other year. Go figure.
 
My next Sunday package arrive today, on a Monday. Bad marketing if you ask me. That said, I love the easy system and information it provides.
AACEA08E-9CAD-4DA7-819D-E23039AE088C.jpeg
 
Does anyone have experience with one of these little DIY dethatcher / aerator machines? I like to DIY where I can, so I was looking at trying one of these this fall because I definitely have some thatch issues. But I’ve seen that plug aerators can be better for the yard especially where soil is compacted. Am I better of just hiring someone?
Greenworks 10 Amp 14-Inch Corded Dethatcher, 27022

I've got a different make, but mine is a dethatcher only. 3 different heights. Does an absolutely amazing job dethatching the lawn. Cleans stuff right up, and then mow right over it to suck it all up.

Have yet to do aeration, mainly because I never end up timing it right.

If dethatching is something you want to do yearly, or spring/fall, spend the hundred bucks or whatever it costs and buy it.
Plug Aerating though? I would imagine it is far more cost effective to just hire it out.
 
I have about 12,000 sf and I paid $300 for core aeration, which I thought was reasonable. What I like the most is that if they accidentally pierce my coax cable, it's on them, not me.
 
My next Sunday package arrive today, on a Monday. Bad marketing if you ask me. That said, I love the easy system and information it provides.
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Have you tried their Dandelion Doom lawn weed killer? I would love to have something I could apply near my veggie and berry plantings.
 
Clover removal tips? Anyone successfully removed this from their lawn?
 
Clover removal tips? Anyone successfully removed this from their lawn?

This is the best I have found for clover, oxalis, and the dreaded ground ivy.


You think it's not working for a few weeks, and you may need a second application, but one day it's pretty much gone. The orange cap Ortho claims to work on clover and ground ivy. It's not as good as the silver cap stuff, but it is a little bit effective on clover. I try to get the lawn thick and healthy enough that the bad actors don't stand a chance. I'm in year 3 of the exercise, and the weeds are greatly diminished but not gone, I still have to chemically spot treat.

The bright side of clover (not counting a four-leaf sighting) is that it puts nitrogen back into the soil.
 
Clover removal tips? Anyone successfully removed this from their lawn?

This is the best I have found for clover, oxalis, and the dreaded ground ivy. You think it's not working for a few weeks, and you may need a second application, but one day it's pretty much gone. The orange cap Ortho claims to work on clover and ground ivy. It's not as good as the silver cap stuff, but it is a little bit effective on clover. Works great on dandelions.


I'm in year 3 of trying to strengthen the soil, and thus the lawn, so much that the bad actors are crowded out by the grass. It's greatly diminished the weeds, but I still have to spot treat with these.
 
Have you tried their Dandelion Doom lawn weed killer? I would love to have something I could apply near my veggie and berry plantings.
I have not, but I may soon. I have been pulling weeds by hand up to now, but it’s getting old.
 
I have not, but I may soon. I have been pulling weeds by hand up to now, but it’s getting old.

It gets very old very fast. Their approach seems to make sense, so if and when you do try it, I'd be interested in how it works. My big nemesis is ground ivy, and very few things work well on that scourge.
 
Clover removal tips? Anyone successfully removed this from their lawn?
The Bayer spray weed killer removed ours fast. I do a coat on the entire lawn early in season and it rids most of everything and the grass quickly fills in.
 
I wouldn't consider myself a guru, but I mulch and do not thatch. My treatments include biologics that are supposed to promote decomposition of the thatch and it seems to work. I know serious lawn care people who have their lawns dethatched fairly regularly. FWIW, I find aeration has helped my lawn a lot.

Have to agree about aeration. That has improved my lawn.
 
Does anyone have experience with one of these little DIY dethatcher / aerator machines? I like to DIY where I can, so I was looking at trying one of these this fall because I definitely have some thatch issues. But I’ve seen that plug aerators can be better for the yard especially where soil is compacted. Am I better of just hiring someone?
Greenworks 10 Amp 14-Inch Corded Dethatcher, 27022


I lucked out earlier this spring and got one. Couldn't find them anywhere and just ordered on Amazon with 1-2 month delivery. Shipment came in and was filled in two weeks.

This new model is powerful and a little wider. Don't have a big yard so works awesome! Both the dethatching and scarifier do a great job and you have to watch what you are doing.

The bag is small as all brands are, but I prefer the frequent empty and like on driveway too just running without the bag.

Kind of addicted to this process now and a couple neighbor's have borrowed it.
 
This is the best I have found for clover, oxalis, and the dreaded ground ivy. You think it's not working for a few weeks, and you may need a second application, but one day it's pretty much gone. The orange cap Ortho claims to work on clover and ground ivy. It's not as good as the silver cap stuff, but it is a little bit effective on clover. Works great on dandelions.


I'm in year 3 of trying to strengthen the soil, and thus the lawn, so much that the bad actors are crowded out by the grass. It's greatly diminished the weeds, but I still have to spot treat with these.
Agreed to use this to remove clover. Did a great job for me.
 
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