CompuServe Messages

Bryan, the real issue is why you have thatch in the first place. Thatch is not part of a healthy St. Augustingrass lawn even though 90% of the homeowners with St. Aug grass have thatch. The power rakers will hurt the grass a bit but it should return okay. Another approach is apply a 1/4 inch layer of top soil or peat moss mixed with compost activator. Those materials will have sufficient decomposers to break down the thatch in a few months. Thatch on St. Augustine is a function of 1. fertilizing too much; 2. watering too much and/or 3. mowing too closely. Healthy St. Augustine roots should go down 12 inches. If they do, then watering every 3,4,or 5 days is all that should be needed. Daily watering or every two day watering is how you make for thatch production. Use a slow release form of Nitrogen fertilizer once in the spring and again in the fall — that's it. St. Augustine should be mowed at 3 inches; not the 1 1/2 to 2 inches most Floridians use. Don't expecty St. Augustine to look as green as the Kentucky bluegrass you may have had in the north. It is a yellower green by nature. You can get the lawn to thicken by adding plugs of Floratan St. Aug sod set at 8 to 10 inches. Spring is a good time to do that.