How to prevent/remove thatch?

Thatch is the name given to various debris in your lawn such as layers of old leaves, grass cuttings, roots, stems, and other organic material. This matter can fail to decompose if there’s insufficient microorganism activity.

Items that help contribute to thatch include poor soil drainage, compacted soils, and over watering.

Prevention methods include removing the items that cause thatch (various debris as detailed above), reduce frequency and amount of watering, and by increasing microorganism activity and by reducing nitrogen fertiliser by around 30% in early Spring. You should also aerate the lawn / soil to a depth of 7-10 cm (3-4″) in May or September.

For lawns with a serious amount of thatch a dethatching machine could be used – this may cause some damage to some parts of the lawn, but with the proper care, it should return as to before.