Does Aerating or Thatching Help a Lawn Turn Green?

Identification

• If your grass feels very spongy and looks brown on the bottom but green on top, you have too much thatch. In general, more than 1/2 inch of thatch is problematic.

Removal

• Remove thatch by aerating with a core aerator, which removes plugs of thatch and soil from the grass. You can also use a mechanical dethatcher or vertical mower, but this measure is more likely to cause damage to the grass. If thatch is preventing your grass from getting enough sunlight or air, aeration or dethatching should help it grow greener.

Misconceptions

• Grasscycling, or the practice of leaving grass clippings on the grass, does not contribute to thatch because grass clippings break down quickly. However, you can prevent thatch by avoiding overwatering and not applying too much nitrogen, which causes excessively fast growth.