Power Raking is a crucial task that should be done by a professional once every 2 years. Also known as de-thatching, is the process by which the thatch layer will be thinned out allowing for better gas exchange, seed to soil contact, and give ample room for the existing lawn to become thick and lush.
Thatch is just dead grass blades that have chosen a place to rest. Although a little bit of thatch is actually healthy since it protects the roots of the grass from the sun, it can also become a very large issue causing a spongey lawn and of course a lawn that cannot thrive.
We suggest doing this yearly at most but many lawns do not even need it yearly!
Power raking is a must have service when you are serious about making your lawn look better than the neighbors. Don’t miss out on this service!
We offer a ton of services including mowing/maintenance, fertilizer packages, over-seeding and reseeding, deep core aeration, power raking, spring and fall cleanups, tree & shrub care (pruning, removal and fertilization). Because of this, we are able to offer discounts to our services like aeration since we are usually performing other services in conjunction.
Although power raking/de-thatching will absolutely have drastic benefits and cause major improvements to your lawn, we always suggest fertilizing and especially seeding in conjunction. While the holes in the ground are opened up, you’ll get maximum benefit since the seed and fertilizer we spread will be able to get in every nook and cranny of the soil (seed to soil contact is crucial). The power raking amplifies that opportunity by making more room for the grass to grow!
From season to season our lawns develop a layer of what’s called thatch. Thatch protects your lawn from weight and our harsh winters. Unfortunately, it is a double edged sword and brings about many problems. If only the grass was smart enough to only grow a little bit of thatch, this would be a perfect world. This however is not the case. Too much of it which is often the case leads to unwanted pests & rodents like mice and vols. They tare up your lawn and even camp out back leaving not so aesthetically pleasing tunnels and kill your grass. Another biproduct is suffocating your lawn leading to diseases or even drainage issues resulting in puddles or again dead grass. Whatever the case you want to be raking your lawn once a year or at least once every 2-4 years. Hand raking is a labor intensive, especially when done properly, but often when done by hand you apply too little or too much pressure in different places. This is where a power rake shines, our dethatching machine is set to just the correct height to ensure consistent pressure and raking at high speeds. This ensures that only thatch and dead grass is removed without being too aggressive on the turf below. Also, with the time saved we are able to see problem areas and hand rake them to encourage recovery and growth.
What are some more benefits of power raking?
1. Instant Beautification: The high speed tines on the power rake remove thatch and dead grass which is yellow. By removing this layer mechanically and evenly across the lawn we are able to reveal the strong alive often greener grass in the spring.
2. Allergies: Thatch has a tendency to hold on to tons of allergens like dust, organic matter, and mold. By power raking we are able to pull out these debris. Here at Unicutters we also include a power vacuum which further cleans all the dead matter, and debris helping alleviate allergy sufferers while also really kickstarting your lawn for the season.
3. Soil Exposure: By removing thatch we allow for more soil exposure. This allows for new grass to grow by itself, and increase grass seed germination when over-seeding increasing the rate germination and success.
Edmonton • St. Albert • Leduc • Lancaster Park • Beaumont • Sherwood Park
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