What Is A Dethatching Rake?

If your lawn does not look as nice as you would like for it to look, the problem might be in how you are removing the dead plant debris that comes from grass trimmings and falling leaves. Instead of using a standard rake, you should be utilizing a dethatching rake to improve the soil of your lawn. A dethatching rake, which is also known as a thatch rake or power rake, looks similar to a gas-powered lawn mower. This lawn tool features hundreds of blades that are aligned vertically, as opposed to the single horizontal blade on a lawn mower. The blades on the thatch rake move down to beat into the ground and pull up the layer of thatch that is lying on top of the lawn.

 

Thatch is the dead plant debris that accumulates over time. Thatch is beneficial for the lawn if it is not too thick, at around one-half to three-quarters of an inch. If the thatch gets any thicker than that, it can damage the soil by preventing nutrients and water from actually reaching the soil. This can result in plants and grass dying from the lack of water and nutrients.

 

When your thatch gets too thick, using a dethatching rake on the lawn can help keep the soil and plants healthy. The lawn should be prepped before use by removing any large rocks and pine cones. The grass should also be mowed so that it is shorter than normal. Once the lawn is ready, you need to adjust the blades of the thatch rake for the depth of the grass. After starting the dethatching rake, you can move it over the lawn in the same way that you do the lawn mower. When you are done, you will need to use a manual rake to get all of the debris up off the lawn and into a disposal bag or your compost heap.