# How long to wait for spring dethatch in MN



## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

It's a late spring here in MN. My snow has just melted away. Much of the grass is still dormant, with spots of green here and there.

How long should I wait to do a heavy dethatch? I'll be dethatching with a front mounted rotary broom.


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## Tsmith (Aug 11, 2017)

Why are you dethatching?


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## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

Oops. I should have said that.

The dethatching is part of a smoothing project. I'll be spreading 28 yards of sand in about an acre of lawn to help reduce the bumps. I want to dethatch first.


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## Tsmith (Aug 11, 2017)

Dethatching disturbs the soil so I think you would be better off doing it in the fall instead of spring if you even have to do it at all as I wouldn't recommend doing it just to do it.


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

> spreading 28 yards of sand


 By hand!?
You should wait until the turf has fully awoken and is actively growing. A third of a pound of N/M before de-thatching will help recovery.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

Ridgerunner said:


> > spreading 28 yards of sand
> 
> 
> By hand!?
> You should wait until the turf has fully awoken and is actively growing. A third of a pound of N/M before de-thatching will help recovery.


Agreed. Wait for the turf to get going. That will be a few weeks yet for your area. Dethatch, clean everything up, mow as short as possible, add some N, sand, and then time your pre-m for just after.


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## thinair (Oct 12, 2017)

Had same question. Just bought the greenworks electric dethatcher. Itching to try it out.

I aerated and lightly over seeded in fall.

Want to dethatcher in spring and add more seed.


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## Deere Jr (Dec 7, 2017)

Pete1313 said:


> Ridgerunner said:
> 
> 
> > > spreading 28 yards of sand
> ...


Ridgerunner - LOL, no not by hand. That would suck. I'll be using a Turfo f12d for the spreading of sand.

Pete - Thanks for the tips. I wondered about the pre-m. I usually use a fertilizer + crabgrass control granular.


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