Verticutting, or vertical mowing, removes thatch buildup in the lawn so turf can breathe easy, better absorb nutrients, and soak in much-needed moisture.
Thatch is a layer of dead stems and roots that forms between the grass and soil. It isn’t all bad. Small amounts can actually reduce compaction in high-traffic commercial areas.
But when thatch exceeds a half-inch, all that biomass starts eating up the good stuff that belongs to your turf: air, water and food. Plus, insects and disease fester in thatch—more bad news.
You’ll know your lawn has thatch buildup if it feels spongy when you walk across it. You can manage it with annual verticutting, and right now before the growing season is prime time to treat your commercial property to this service.
How Does Verticutting Work?
You can remove thatch using a rake with tines designed to pull the dead mass up from beneath the green grass. But this is labor intensive and not practical for commercial property owners. Similarly, dethatchers can do the job, but this equipment can damage certain turf varieties.
On the island of Kauai, the primary warm-season turfgrass varieties planted on commercial properties include zoysiagrass, seashore paspalum and Bermudagrass. All of these grasses should be verticut annually, in the spring using a verticutter, also called a vertical mower.
A verticutter has blades that cut down into the thatch without damaging the healthy grass. This breaks up that dead layer and brings it to the surface so it can easily be collected and removed. Verticutting is often followed by overseeding, and can accompany core aeration (pulling up plugs of turf to allow more air, water and nutrients to penetrate into the soil).
Verticutting is a seamless process when performed by professionals (like No Ka Oi Landscape Services) using commercial equipment suited for large properties. It gives a lawn a fresh start before the growing season.
How Will Your Kauai Commercial Property Benefit?
We recommend verticutting services for a commercial property once each year to remove thatch before the growing season. Now is the ideal time to complete this service because in spring, the grass is in regeneration mode: It will quickly recover from the mechanical process. Benefits of verticutting include:
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Removes excess thatch
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Gives turf roots better access to oxygen, water and nutrients
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Promotes water conservation by ensuring that moisture supplied to turf actually reaches the roots
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Prepares a commercial property for overseeding
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Improves overall health and vigor of the lawn
Plan Now!
Prepare your property to thrive this summer by “cleaning out” the thatch before the growing season. Contact us to learn more about verticutting and how this sustainable practice can benefit your commercial property.
Give us a call at 808-335-5887, or fill out our simple contact form, and we’ll get in touch with you.
Image credit: Verticutting
