Keep your lawn healthy by removing thatch up to twice a year using a vertical cutter. In this article, you’ll learn the benefits of verticutting (also known as vertical cutting or vertical mowing) your lawn and how to maintain a healthy, beautiful, green lawn.
The importance of verticutting your lawn:
Fertilizing your lawn in early spring helps the grass roots and blades to grow steadily. Once this strong foundation has been set for future growth, you’re ready to move on to the next step in lawn care: verticutting.
Verticutting is particularly recommended for matted lawns, i.e. lawns with a thick layer of organic matter between the blades of grass. The thicker and denser this layer of organic matter becomes, the more it deprives the grass of oxygen and space it needs to grow. This felt layer forms on lawns that have so-called impoverished soil.
In healthy and fertile soil, the area surrounding a plant’s roots is teeming with numerous living organisms. For example, worms pull dead plant remains, such as grass cuttings, into the soil. Various organisms living in the soil decompose this organic matter and convert it into valuable humus.
However, if there are only a few organisms living in the soil’s ecosystem, organic matter cannot be used to its full potential and remains on top of the soil’s surface. In such cases, it is important to loosen this felt layer with a vertical cutter, so that oxygen, water, and nutrients can penetrate the soil and better reach the grass roots.
The vertical cutter’s rotating blades only penetrate the ground by a maximum of three millimetres into the ground to avoid causing damage to the sensitive roots. You can remove the loosened thatch layer using the cutter’s collection bag or a rake.
Lawns often appear patchy after the verticutting process, but this is no cause for concern! The grass usually regenerates quite quickly during the active growth phase immediately following the verticutting process. However, it is a good idea to fill any larger gaps with reseeding immediately. Over time, the lawn will appear lush green again and the turf will become denser.
A final tip for successful lawn care:
Spread finely sieved compost on the lawn to revitalize soil life. Active compost is rich in various organisms that work around the roots of your grass to boost overall soil health. The healthier the soil is, the longer your grass will stay strong, healthy, and green.
