# Dethatch St Augustine?



## BakerGreenLawnMaker

I've read mixed articles on dethatching St Aug, some say yes, some say it's a no-no. I even read an article where the guy said you could destroy your whole lawn if you do. Any professional thoughts or has anyone experienced dethatching St Aug?


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## Topcat

I've heard the same - "never dethatch St Aug, as it will destroy it". I am not a professional, but I detached my Back Yard St Aug last year, and it was a VERY aggressive dethatch. I had so much thatch and dead/brown grass under the canopy, I thought the worst that could happen is I'd have to replace it... and I have to confess that a little part of me wanted to see it damaged enough to replace it all with Bermuda sod. However as the pics I took around July timeframe showed, it recovered very nicely.




BTW, your results could vary - so if you decide to dethatch based on my results - beware.... they say you can destroy a SA lawn by detaching it... :lol:


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## BakerGreenLawnMaker

Wow, lawn looks great! I have such a thick layer of thatch in my lawn, I think if I dethatch it'll promote better growth during the summer. Would it be safe to dethatch now, or wait till May or June?


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## Iriasj2009

With detaching st Augustine grass, the goal is to thin out the canopy and remove dead material. I recommend you detach it by going over it just once. dont set the detacher too low, maybe 3/4" above soil. Then mow the lawn half inch to 1 inch below your desired HOC. I wouldn't go below 1.5" HOC.

Detaching will not kill the st Augustine, it can just set it back depending on how aggressive you go.

For now give it a light pass and once the grass starts growing more agressive, I would detach it again.


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## Bunnysarefat

I've always thought you could take a core sample and kind of dertermine if it was nesaesary. By the way, @Topcat that is some great looking St. A, done right. What's your HOC on that?


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## Rockinar

I dated a chick who had a St Aug lawn. I swear it had 3" of thatch. It was in terrible shape. I would have dethatched it.


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## Topcat

Bunnysarefat said:


> I've always thought you could take a core sample and kind of dertermine if it was nesaesary. By the way, @Topcat that is some great looking St. A, done right. What's your HOC on that?


@Bunnysarefat the first pic the lawn is about 2 inches. The second pic is about 4 inches and was taken right before I cut it. I maintained it just under 4 inches during the summer. When I dethatched i cut it at about an inch. Bagged the clippings then used my Vonhaus dethatcher at the second from the lowest setting. I took tons of thatch and some grass out (as stated, I was overly aggressive). I did thin it out nicely and allowed the grow better over the summer.


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## Mixem

Topcat said:


> Bunnysarefat said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've always thought you could take a core sample and kind of dertermine if it was nesaesary. By the way, @Topcat that is some great looking St. A, done right. What's your HOC on that?
> 
> 
> 
> @Bunnysarefat the first pic the lawn is about 2 inches. The second pic is about 4 inches and was taken right before I cut it. I maintained it just under 4 inches during the summer. When I dethatched i cut it at about an inch. Bagged the clippings then used my Vonhaus dethatcher at the second from the lowest setting. I took tons of thatch and some grass out (as stated, I was overly aggressive). I did thin it out nicely and allowed the grow better over the summer.
Click to expand...

@Topcat When exactly did you perform your dethatch of your St. Augustine? At the moment, It's hotter than hell here in Texas but my grass is growing vigorously. I currently mow twice a week to maintain a 3.75" height. I definitely have some thatch build-up from several years of generic lawn care service of the previous owner. I am thinking of doing a test plot (20ftx10ft) in my backyard where I would lower the height over a period of 2 weeks then go to town with a Sun Joe dethatcher.

Sorry for the necro-thread quote. There's just not a lot of information about safely dethatching St. Augustine.


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## Paul M

Topcat said:


> I've heard the same - "never dethatch St Aug, as it will destroy it". I am not a professional, but I detached my Back Yard St Aug last year, and it was a VERY aggressive dethatch. I had so much thatch and dead/brown grass under the canopy, I thought the worst that could happen is I'd have to replace it... and I have to confess that a little part of me wanted to see it damaged enough to replace it all with Bermuda sod. However as the pics I took around July timeframe showed, it recovered very nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW, your results could vary - so if you decide to dethatch based on my results - beware.... they say you can destroy a SA lawn by detaching it... :lol:


What time of year did you do it? I'm in the same boat with my St Augustine, the thatch is very thick and I'm starting to have looping problems.


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## ionicatoms

I posted this link in another thread, but seems like it also belongs here:
UF IFAS Extension: Thatch and Its Control in Florida Lawns


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