Is Dethatching St Augustine Grass Good?

Is it necessary to dethatch the St. Augustine grass or not in horticulture? Well, dethatching St Augustine grass is controversial. You need to dethatch the At. Augustine grass before using the machine in the lawn otherwise it will destroy the grass. 

Most people know that this is the issue behind the abnormal growth of the plant but can’t pay attention to it. You can use dethatching rakes, healthy maintenance practice, and core aeration to keep thatch at the perfect height. To dethatch the lawn correctly and accurately, follow the details in this article to make it easy to dethatch your lawn grass. Let’s dive into the details:

Can You Dethatch St Augustine Grass

Yes, it is possible to dethatch St. Augustine grass in your garden if the thatch is 1 inch thicker or more. But remember to take some precautions to protect your grass from damage while dethatching. Minimal thatch benefits your lawn grass; you can apply a thin layer of thatch. 

On the other hand, applying a thick layer of thatch will restrict the nutrients, water, and oxygen from reaching the grassroots. St. Augustine grass needs water and proper nutrients for proper and healthy growth. So, if it does not get the desired nutrients and water, the grass will die within a few days. 

• Thick thatch in St. Augustine grass impairs root development by preventing the grass from above-ground runners from spreading the new roots. It slows down the growth of the St. Augustine grass, which will take longer to spread and develop roots. 
• It would help if you did a few things before dethatching the St. Augustine grass. Follow the steps given below:
• Use the hand shovel to dig up the portion of the grass and let the section dimension be 3 inches longer, 3 inches deep, and 3 inches wider. 
• Use a tape measure or ruler to measure the thickness of the thatch on the grass section you dig up. 
• If the measurement of the thatch is ½ inches or less, don’t dethatch it, but if it is thicker than ½ inches, you have to get rid of it. 

What Causes Thatch in St. Augustine Grass

Considering the dethatching of St. Augustine grass is not prone, its presence is the cause you must uncover and rectify. Here are some causes that cause thatch in St. Augustine grass:

1. Overfertilization

Fertilizers are the best food for grasses, helping plants grow efficiently and healthily. They provide all the necessary nutrients to the grass to grow faster. Fertilizing the St. Augustine grass excessively or too frequently will make the grass grow quicker, overwhelming the natural growth. The fast growth of the St. Augustine grass will make the grass grow faster. 

On the flip side, you want to keep the grass growth as low as possible. So, you must mow your lawn more frequently to keep the grass short, leaving more grass clippings on the grass base. 

The decomposition process of these clippings will be slower than the speed at which you add them to the turf, leading the thatch to build up in the St. Augustine grass. Using a fertilizer that is too rich in nitrogen will also cause the thatch in the grass. 

2. Insufficient Moisture

If the weather is too wet, the thatch will decompose more quickly. The breakdown of the thatch will slow down if you keep your lawn primarily dry, resulting in the excessive and faster build-up of thatch in the garden. If you do not water your garden regularly or too often, the soil and grass will dry, leading to the thatch building up in that area. 

Water your garden and grass more frequently according to its requirements to avoid thatching in your St. Augustine grass. Keeping the lawn grass moist all the time will prevent it from thatching. Less watering causes the problem; the only solution is to water the grass frequently, which ensures its better growth. 

If there is a winter season, then you need to water your garden relatively less because rain and moisture fulfill the watering needs. On the counter side, if there is summer season you need to water the garden daily to avoid thatching. 

3. Overwatering 

While St. Augustine grass requires and thrives best in moisture, you can keep it in water only some of the time; that will cause overwatering. Overwatering can also become problematic because it can build up the thatch. Too much watering of your lawn grass will inhibit the organisms on the soil from breaking the thatch down. That is one of the most common reasons for the thatch build-up in the grass.

Overwatering your lawn will cause the grass to grow faster than usual. So, you must mow it more frequently to make it look decent. That will cause the accumulation of grass clippings in the soil base which do not decompose quickly. It is also one of the reasons that your lawn has thatch. So, to prevent your lawn from thatch, make sure to water the lawn according to the St. Augustine grass requirement. 

According to the St. Augustine grass lawn water requirements, Aim for 2-3 soakings a week in summer, or more if your lawn looks stressed. Water until the top 6 inches of soil are moist. Try to water in the morning as much as possible. This helps avoid water loss and disease. Some hints tell you that your lawn is thirsty like the footprints stay visible, blades turn blue-ish or curl up.

4. Poor Aeration

If your lawn St. Augustine grass is not getting proper oxygen, it is at risk of damage. Not getting the proper oxygen can lead to thatch. Poor aeration inhibits the microorganisms from thriving and multiplying. Poor aeration is deficient for lawn grass; you must ensure your St. Augustine grass gets proper oxygen to thrive well. 

5. Not Mowing The Lawn Regularly

Regularly mowing your lawn will help reduce the risk of thatch in your St. Augustine grass. If you are mowing your lawn grass regularly, that will also reduce the clippings from spreading in your lawn because you will not be able to remove the 1/3 grass height. 

If the clippings are smaller, they will decompose quickly and not cause harm like thatch build-up. While mowing your lawn, spread the clippings uniformly in the lawn and ensure that the clippings do not accumulate in clumps. It means using the best lawnmower that does not leave the clippings behind to let the thatch build up in your lawn grass. 

How To Dethatch St Augustine Grass

It is straightforward to dethatch your lawn St. Augustine grass. There are some easy steps that you have to follow to dethatch the lawn grass and ensure better and more efficient growth of your lawn grass. Never use a power dethatching St. Augustine; it will cause severe damage to the lawn and take longer to recover. Here are the steps about how you can dethatch the St. Augustine grass:

1. Mow the Lawn at 2 Inches

Preparing the turf before mowing the lawn will help the dethatches gain access and pull out the thick layer of thatch. While mowing your lawn using dethatches, cut the grass 2 inches high. At this height, you can provide enough space for the dethatching tool to reach the thatch even without harming the stolon; also, it will prevent extra damage to the grass.

2. Water the Lawn Before Dethatching

After deciding to dethatch your St. Augustine grass, water your lawn 24 hours before dethatching. This will soften the thick thatch layer and make it easier for the dethatching tool with less damage. Watering the grass will also reduce stress and give it a head start on recovery. 

Remember that the soil must be moist before dethatching and not too wet or dry. Both conditions will harm the grass. Too much water will make the soil too soft, and dethatching will be impossible.

3. Run the Dethatcher in the Lawn

Since the power rake is not recommended, I’ll only cover the Dethatching St. Augustine With A Hand Rake or a vertical mower. If you have a vertical mower, replacing the single horizontal blade with multiple vertical blades, tines, or prongs is the best. These blades help gardeners remove the thick layers of the thatch from the surface of the grass. 

On the other hand, if you have a hand rake in your hand, use it if your garden or lawn is too small. Using the hand rake is tiresome, but removing the thick layers of thatch is very effective. Leaving only 0.5 inches of thatch is best.

4. Aerate the Lawn

Make sure to aerate your lawn’s soil after dethatching. After dethatching, you will achieve better aeration because the core aerator machine allows better oxygen flow. Good aeration technique will increase the air supply to the microbial organisms inside the soil. So, make sure to aerate the soil after dethatching.

5. Apply Fertilizer

After dethatching the lawn of St. Augustine grass, apply a high-quality fertilizer to the grass to help it recover quickly. Use slow-release fertilizer in the garden to ensure the soil gets enough nutrients.

What To Do After Dethatching St. Augustine

After dethatching, the lawn will be in shock and stress. The grass will take several weeks to recover and fill the empty spots. Providing the best environment and nutrients will help your lawn grass to grow healthy again. Here are some steps that you must follow after dethatching:

1. Fertilizing

Due to the thick layer of thatch, the lawn must be starving for nutrients, so after dethatching, you should fertilize the lawn. Now, the soil can absorb the nutrients and water you will provide. Use a slow-releasing fertilizer with equal nitrogen, potassium, and potassium.

2. Treat For Weeds

Bare soil is the best invitation for weeds. Avoid letting broadleaf weeds grow in your lawn. Apply weed killer or pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn to prevent weeds.

3. Irrigate After Dethatching

A thick thatch layer prevents the soil and grass from getting proper nutrients and water, so after the dethatching process, rinse your lawn grass immediately to prevent it from being stressed. Frequent watering will avoid damage to your lawn.

Conclusion

Dethatching St. Augustine grass helps you protect your lawn or garden from thatch. A thick thatch layer can cause unhealthy growth. Dethatching helps you in this regard but can stress the lawn. So, proper procedure and aftercare are very important. Follow the article’s steps to dethatch St. Augustine grass effectively without damaging it.

FAQs

1. How Often Should You Dethatch St Augustine?

Every spring, check the thickness of the thatch layer in your St. Augustine grass. If you notice that the coating is ½ inch thick or more, you should dethatch it. But if the thatch is less than this thickness, it will not harm the lawn grass.

2. Is It Okay to Dethatch Your St. Augustine Grass?

Yes, it is okay to dethatch your lawn grass; wait until you see active growth of the thatch. If the thatch is growing too fast, it must be causing problems for your lawn plants and grass because the thick layer does not let the grass get enough nutrients and water. So, it will be beneficial to remove it from the grass.

3. How do I know if I need to dethatch?

Some signs help you understand that your garden needs to dethatch. Look for patchy, slow-growing grass that repels water. These are signs of too much thatch.

4. When should I dethatch St. Augustine grass?

You should dethatch the St. Augustine grass during the warm season (late spring to early fall) when your grass is actively growing.

5. Should I dethatch St Augustine Grass myself?

Yes, you can do it yourself, but dethatching can be tough. Rent a dethatcher if you don’t have one, and consider a professional if you’re unsure.