What Is Power Raking?

Power raking is a process whereby the lawn’s thatches are removed from between the soil and the grass’s roots. In saying this, we should note that thatches between 1/3 – 1/2 inches offer terrific health benefits to a lawn. It’s when the thatch exceeds this range that it can do more harm than good, and cause significant damage if left unchecked. Too much thatch can result in a lack of sunlight reaching the roots, as well as over-moisturizing of the soil. Moreover, excessive thatch will compromise a lawn’s resistance to extreme weather.

Every time our local lawn care company employs a power rake near Sioux City, the goal is not to completely dethatch a lawn, but to remove the unnecessary thatch so that the grass grows evenly and smoothly, and is easy to mow.

Benefits Of Power Raking

The key benefits afforded by power raking are:

• • Healthy growth of grass
  • Smooth, lush surface of grass
  • Disease prevention
  • Provide the right balance of water and sunlight for the lawn’s roots
  • Ensure easier access of nutrients and fertilizers to the soil

Further to the last point regarding nutrients and fertilizers, power raking is an important step to take before pursuing core aeration. With excess thatching out of the way, core aeration is that much more effective not just in terms of puncturing holes in the turf, but also in allowing the corresponding seeds and fertilizer to reach optimum depth in the soil. It also helps that our nearby lawn company uses hollow tines whenever we core aerate, which means we pull “cores” from the lawn – as opposed to pushing holes into the lawn, which is what happens when solid tines are used. A core’s greater width and depth delivers far superior aeration benefits than a narrow hole, and thus we’ll choose hollow tines over solid tines every time.

Power Raking In The Fall

Power raking is ideal in the fall. Grass growth is strong during autumn thanks especially to an increased amount of moisture, as well as cooler temperatures that greatly reduce the risk of heat stress. When your lawn is power raked in the fall, these conditions allow the grass ample time to recover from raking and aerating, before going dormant for the winter.

During autumn, the best time to have your lawn power raked is when the soil is dry or nearly dry. Wet soil doesn’t do a good job of holding live grass plants together, and there’s a greater chance of the grass being uprooted.

Choose Us For Power Raking, Core Aeration, and Much More

For more than 40 years, Jay-Lan Lawn Care has supplied Iowans with top-shelf lawn care services in Sioux City. Through a combination of power raking, core aeration, and other proven techniques, our experienced team delivers the kind of healthy, green lawn every homeowner wants.