When to De-Thatch the Lawn

Fall is the time of the year where many people de-thatch their lawns. Thatch is made up of dead grass, clippings and debris. Some amount of thatch is actually good for your lawn but too much can be detrimental. The amount of dead thatch in the lawn can affect the effectiveness of certain animal deterrents, since thatch will absorb some of the oils and ingredients and thereby prevent the needed amount of oils from reaching the soil surface. Yard Gard takes into consideration that most lawns will have some amount of thatch, so the concentration of the various ingredients is calibrated (adjusted) to ensure that even though a portion of the ingredients will be absorbed by the thatch, a sufficient amount of the oils will reach the soil surface. When your lawn contains two or more inches of thatch you may want to consider de-thatching. If de-thatching is not an option, then we recommend you water heavy after the product’s application to the lawn, to ensure the ingredient oils follow the water down into the soil. Deterrents work best when they are absorbed into the soil, since the soil is where the pesky animals want to forage and cause their damage.