What Is Power Raking?
Power raking is a process for removing excess thatch from your lawn. Power raking in Colorado Springs is great a way to remove the dead debris and crust that builds up on a lawn over winter. It is also a gentle way to remove thatch from the lawn without causing the significant damage that dethatching can cause.
What Is “Thatch?”
Thatch is the tightly intermingled layer of living and dead stems, roots, stolons, and rhizomes between the green blades of grass and the soil surface.
Excessive thatch is a common problem. It happens because there is a build-up of material, that cannot be broken down by micro organisms at the speed it accumulates. The two biggest causes of excessive thatch accumulation are over fertilizing, and over watering. Lawn clippings that are mulched are not typically major contributors to this problem.
What Happens If I Don’t Remove Thatch Build-Up?
Thatch build-up can lead you down a long road of lawn maintenance, and plant health issues that, depending on the size of your property, can eventually cost you thousands of dollars.
Maintaining your thatch levels is probably more important here in Colorado than in most places. The reason for this is the heavy native clay soil. Because of its compact profile, clay already reduces oxygen levels in soil to dangerous levels for plants, trees and grass. Combine that with a heavy, thick mat of compacted organic matter, like thatch, and you have a recipe for a number of consequences including:
- High water bills
- Diseases and fungus
- Turf and plant replacement
How Does Thatch Make My Water Bill Higher?
Thatch dramatically decreases drought tolerance of turf grass by preventing air, water and nutrients from entering soil and decreasing healthy deep roots. The thatch, when too thick, acts as a sponge and prevents moisture from reaching the soil. Essentially, making you water more often.
How Do I know I Need Power Raking in Colorado?
It’s fairly easy to tell if power raking is necessary for your yard. This simple 1 minute test will indicate very quickly if you have a thatch build-up. Take a look at our example image to see the difference between a healthy level of thatch and a build-up that needs attention.
- Step One: Remove a core sample from an central, non shaded area of your yard
- Step Two: Use a ruler to measure the thatch level. If it’s more than 1/2″ inch thick, then you should consider power raking.
- Step Three: Give us a call for a free power raking quote (719) 963-6267 or (720) 221-3606.
We offer power raking in/around the following Colorado cities:
Aurora, Broomfield, Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Centennial, Cherry Hills, Colorado Springs, Columbine,Commerce City, Denver, Englewood, Franktown, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Ken Caryl, Lakewood, Larkspur, Littleton, Lone Tree, Monument, Parker, Thornton, Westminster, and Wheat Ridge.