Category Archives: Thick Lawns and Thatch Problems

Thatch is the term given to the layer of organic matter on the soil surface of the lawn between the roots and the grass leaves.

A thick lawn is often caused by over feeding. Too much leaf growth causes it to build up uncontrollably. It can also come from lack of maintenance over a very long period of time or an infrequent mowing regime.

A thatch layer or organic matter will smother a lawn. Water and nutrients will not be able to get to the roots. New growth cannot come through and the thatchy layer is a great incubator for damaging fungal diseases such as red thread and fusarium.

Thick thatch in a lawn

The best and quickest way to solve a thick lawn problem is a heavy scarification. However, this can produce a huge amount of material and be a very difficult job for a DIY lawn enthusiast.

Read more about thick lawn problems in these pages.

Question: Restoring a very long lawn

I received this question about restoring a very long lawn in Autumn 2020 by a reader of my Website. They were not able to mow their meadow during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and a local farmer then chopped down very roughly. Grass is very hardy and can put up with a lot of damage. Find out how best to restore a long meadow into a decent lawn.

Question: Scarifier advice?

I received this question many times from an eager reader in March 2018 about a scarifier. She writes: I have a lawn approximately the size of a bowling green. It is not well looked after and has loads of moss. Please could you advise me on a scarifier. I’d prefer something that you don’t have to push, and… Read More »

How often should you scarify your lawn?

I am often asked by customers how often should you scarify a lawn? The answer is a lot less than you may expect. Scarification is the mechanical process of removing thatch from your lawn. Thatch is the layer of grass leaves and organic matter which can build up in the lawn above the soil surface. How many times you… Read More »