# Dethatching Dead Grass Blades



## Kansas18 (Apr 21, 2018)

I moved into a house in East Kansas about 1.5 years ago and I have been having issues with my front yard. Its on a South sloping hill and the grass appears to be different than the grass in the rest of my yard. I have been unsuccessful in identifying the grass type or if I am caring for the yard correctly.

There is a lot of dead grass blades each spring that stand up and hang around for most of the year. I can rake them out, but it is very labor intensive. I am wondering if a power rake would work to pull this dead material out and allow the new grass to grow up. Right now the green grass is growing up through the dead grass, and I know I will get more and more of this as spring progresses. The problem is every time I mow the lawn looks terrible because there is an enormous amount of dead grass.

Can anyone tell me what type of grass this is, and if a power rake/dethatcher would remove the dead material.


----------



## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Looks like the tan grass is dormant Bermuda. It will turn this color in the fall once you get below freezing temperatures then start waking up around now. The green grass is a cool season grass probably fescue but would need a close up pic to positively identify it.

It would be best to remove all the tan dead material right now as the Bermuda seems to be waking up. We normally take our mowers as low as they can go to remove the old stuff and a power rake would help get more of it off the lawn. Your situation will be more tricky since you have the cool season grass intermixed with the Bermuda and it won't like getting scalped down.


----------



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Probably need to pick whether you want the Bermuda or fescue as your grass type.


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

I'd cut as low as your rotary can go, bag up the dormant stuff. Find a herbicide to get rid of the fescue....or you'll have a rag-a-muffin lawn winter to spring while warm season goes dormant.

Great to see a Kansan !


----------



## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

+1 on the scalping recommendation above. You'll probably be emptying the bag after each pass honestly but that will do the trick.


----------



## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

And hey, Welcome to TLF! :thumbsup:


----------



## high leverage (Jun 11, 2017)

You need to choose which type of grass you want. Bermuda or Fescue? Then proceed with killing off one or the other. For my tastes mixed turf is not desirable. Too many differences with cultural practices, herbicides, etc.... If you have full sun kill off the Fescue and run with the Bermuda. However If you have a good amount of shade run with the Fescue. In my area Fescue looks great October through May and struggles in the summer. Pick your poison and stick with it.


----------

