# D-thatch or molasses?



## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

I'm looking for opinions and advice on the best way to get thatch to break down in my lawn. I know it's still early, and I'm in central mn and don't want to sound like I'm jumping the gun here. However, even last summer into the fall I noticed the thatch wasn't going away.

What are the best practices you have found to get thatch to decompose quicker?

Some thoughts I have are:

1. Buy n-ext D thatch and follow the instructions or,

2. Molasses. Maybe milorganite AND molasses. Then the question: how to apply the molasses? Powder or liquid? I have a 30 gallon pull behind sprayer as well as a pull behind spreader.

I need to cover an acre


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## Miggity (Apr 25, 2018)

I'd start with cheap and easy. Find your sources for both dry and regular unsulfured molasses. Spread the cheaper of those options and re-assess your thatch situation. I think you will find local options, including the grocery store more economical but only you can determine if it worked on your lawn. If you have fed the microbes regularly in the past (Milo, mulching, or other organics) you will have a better results as the biology needed will already be present. Be aware that higher temps (70-75F) are far better for microbial activity.


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## MassHole (Jun 27, 2018)

N-Ext De-Thatch is just humic and molasses. I would buy powdered molasses from Kelp4Less and use that. Way cheaper.

I'm actually doing this. I plan to hit every month starting in June. 1/16 tsp per 1 gallon of water to 1K.


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## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

Thanks guys.

Is it ok to concentrate it a little more that that? I have a 30 gallon spreader and an acre. So 44k of lawn and I've got pretty good at getting the whole 30 gallons on that acre evenly.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

MassHole said:


> N-Ext De-Thatch is just humic and molasses. I would buy powdered molasses from Kelp4Less and use that. Way cheaper.
> 
> I'm actually doing this. I plan to hit every month starting in June. 1/16 tsp per 1 gallon of water to 1K.


Good grief! That little, huh? How do you measure a 1/16 of a teaspoon? 

I have 2,500 SF and put a good couple of globs of wet molasses from supermarket into 2.5 gallons of water...

Murph


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## MNReel (Jul 18, 2018)

I'm in Minnesota as well @Deere Jr we have had some wonkey weather this spring and I jumped the guns praying molasses. I've been spraying it at 1/8 tsp per 1000. I'm assuming this week we will watch our lawns come a live. I started some tests doing mechanical and some biological dethatching. With the molasses I'm still putting down humic acid. Just make sure to keep that underside of the thatch wet. When that's providing a warm moist environment and you're supplying the fuel the molasses should do the trick.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Miggity said:


> I'd start with cheap and easy. Find your sources for both dry and regular unsulfured molasses. Spread the cheaper of those options and re-assess your thatch situation. I think you will find local options, including the grocery store more economical but only you can determine if it worked on your lawn. If you have fed the microbes regularly in the past (Milo, mulching, or other organics) you will have a better results as the biology needed will already be present. Be aware that higher temps (70-75F) are far better for microbial activity.


My soil pH is 7.0. What about using sulfured molasses given that I can stand lowering my pH in the process? I'm thinking double win... thoughts?


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## MassHole (Jun 27, 2018)

BXMurphy said:


> Good grief! That little, huh? How do you measure a 1/16 of a teaspoon?


I assume you can do a bit more and use a larger sprayer, or buy the tiny measuring spoons on Amazon. That's what I did.


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## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

Thanks for the replies. So if I'm understanding correctly, for my 44k sq ft lawn I will only use about 5.5 tablespoons of powdered molasses? Doesn't sound like much.

MooreGreen, yes the weather has been crazy. We got 4" of snow last Wednesday. However, I was able to get out the reel mower yesterday...


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## Guest (May 13, 2019)

I sincerely doubt 5.5 tablespoons of molasses would have any impact on 44k SQ ft. &#128514;


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## Miggity (Apr 25, 2018)

BXMurphy said:


> Miggity said:
> 
> 
> > I'd start with cheap and easy. Find your sources for both dry and regular unsulfured molasses. Spread the cheaper of those options and re-assess your thatch situation. I think you will find local options, including the grocery store more economical but only you can determine if it worked on your lawn. If you have fed the microbes regularly in the past (Milo, mulching, or other organics) you will have a better results as the biology needed will already be present. Be aware that higher temps (70-75F) are far better for microbial activity.
> ...


Like teardrops in the ocean, it won't do much. As you approach homeopathic concentrations of sulfur to correct the pH of the earth under you, you can expect homeopathic results. Consider citric acid instead, 1 lb/K and water in well.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Miggity said:


> BXMurphy said:
> 
> 
> > Miggity said:
> ...


Hmmm... I was thinking elemental sulfur. Why citric acid over sulfur? Cost? Efficacy? Experience?

Thanks in advance,
Murph


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## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

Tell me more about this "citric acid" you talk about... And elemental sulfur...


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Deere Jr said:


> Tell me more about this "citric acid" you talk about... And elemental sulfur...


Found it! Lowering pH...
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2403

Murph


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## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

BXMurphy said:


> Deere Jr said:
> 
> 
> > Tell me more about this "citric acid" you talk about... And elemental sulfur...
> ...


Ok. What I mainly read in that thread was how to lower ph. My ph is 6.7

What I am looking to do is compost thatch faster....

I'm new at this, please let me know how elemental sulfur and citric acid can help that.


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## Miggity (Apr 25, 2018)

Deere Jr said:


> BXMurphy said:
> 
> 
> > Deere Jr said:
> ...


It is slightly off-topic and not applicable to you, sorry for the confusion. Elemental sulfur (also see this thread, second post onward) and citric acid are attempts to lower soil pH, not to reduce thatch. Simplistically, we are feeding the microbes that digest thatch with molasses in order to encourage them to reproduce, increasing their population numbers and enable them to digest your thatch more quickly.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Miggity is right... the topic veered when he mentioned sulfur and sulfur/pH has been on my mind lately. Sorry about that!  (Thanks for the help, Miggity!)

Murph


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## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

Ok. Sounds good guys.

So, for the record, you guys still think about 5.5 table spoons is enough for 44k sq ft?


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## Miggity (Apr 25, 2018)

Deere Jr said:


> Ok. Sounds good guys.
> 
> So, for the record, you guys still think about 5.5 table spoons is enough for 44k sq ft?


That is the rate suggested to encourage marijuana flowering. 1 TBSP/1000 SF for turf is far closer, see second comment in this thread, but verify as needed.


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## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

Thanks Miggity. That makes more sense to me. I feel like 5.5 tablespoons on a whole acre is just a waste of time.

I appreciate everyone's feedback. Ordering powdered molasses now...


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Deere Jr said:


> What I am looking to do is compost thatch faster....
> 
> I'm new at this, please let me know how elemental sulfur and citric acid can help that.


Sorry about hijacking the thread. 

The molasses is the way to go. It also goes without saying.... frequent mowing so you cut no more than 1/3 of the blade off the top.

Murph


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## ThickLawnThickWife (Jul 23, 2018)

Old thread but I just want to share some information I found that I have been using. 
https://www.plantfoodco.com/lawn-tree-care/products/biostimulants/blackstrap-molasses/


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