lawn A lawn is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses and other durable plants such as clover which are maintained at a short height with a lawnmower (or sometimes grazing animals) and used for aesthetic and recreational purposes. ...

care, thatch is a layer of organic matter that accumulates on a

around the base of the

grass Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns a ...

plants. Thatch is a combination of living and dead plant matter including crowns, stolons, rhizomes, and

root In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the su ...

s. Grass clippings do not generally contribute to thatch buildup as they can be easily broken down by soil microorganisms. Thatch is composed of about 25% lignin, a complex organic polymer that is highly resistant to

decomposition Decomposition or rot is the process by which dead organic substances are broken down into simpler organic or inorganic matter such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars and mineral salts. The process is a part of the nutrient cycle and is e ...

. Thatch buildup can be caused by several factors: * Certain grass species are especially prone to thatch production *

Acidic soil Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. pH is defined as the n ...

s may not be able to support sufficient populations of decomposing microorganisms * Certain fungicides can stimulate excessive root and rhizome growth * Application of insecticides may reduce

earthworm An earthworm is a terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. They exhibit a tube-within-a-tube body plan; they are externally segmented with corresponding internal segmentation; and they usually have setae on all segments. T ...

activity, leading to decreased bioturbation * Over-application of

nitrogen fertilizer A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...

s can stimulate excess growth as well as contributing to soil acidity A small amount of thatch may provide a beneficial insulating effect against fluctuations in temperature and moisture. However, excessive thatch can cause root problems and

lawn mower A lawn mower (also known as a mower, grass cutter or lawnmower) is a device utilizing one or more revolving blades (or a reel) to cut a grass surface to an even height. The height of the cut grass may be fixed by the design of the mower, but g ...

difficulties. A

dethatcher A dethatcher or lawn scarifier is a device that removes thatch from lawns. Types of dethatchers include motorized dethatchers or those that can be pulled behind a garden tractor. Thatch removal (dethatching) Scarification or de-thatching of ...

may be used to remove thatch from a lawn.

References

External links

NDIS Lawn MowingProfessional Lawn Care
Gardening Horticultural techniques Lawn care {{horticulture-stub

See also

References

External links