How Do I Thatch A Bermuda Lawn

Question from Suzanne:
I once wrote to you before about a question. Now I would like to ask you another.

How do I handle the de-thatching of a common Bermuda lawn. My gardener 40 or fifty years ago used to dethatch every year. I even used to mow down almost to soil level occasionally with my good reel mower (which is now long gone). Gardener’s son has taken over the business, uses rotary mowers, aerates once a year if I remind him. Back lawn seems to respond well to feeding and watering but front lawn doesn’t, Too many huge trees–juniper, aleppo pine, and New Zealand. I love the trees but am beginning to hate the grass, It is probably too late to dethatch or power rake this year–just wondered if you think that might help in the spring.

I was so impressed with your response to my question about pruning my New Zealand Christmas Tree. I have an arborist due to come next week as you suggested. Both my sons asked me to e-mail them copies of your pruning suggestions. Thanks again.

Answer from Pat:
How to DeThatch a Bermuda Lawn was the subject of a television show I did many years ago in the mid-eighties and I won the Emmy for that show and some others on “How To Build a Structure to Keep Critters from Tomatoes”.

All my month-by-month books contain the step-by-step method for de-thatchin lawns that I researched way back then and showed on TV. I trust you have my book, (the current edition is called “Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening, Month-by-Month.”) If you look on page 104 of that book you will find detailed instructions for De-thatching Warm-Season Lawns. (which includes Bermuda.) If you don’t have it, please go to your local bookstore—book stores sometimes run out but if so they can order it for you—or order from me or from Amazon. On the Page 105 are instructions for “How to Level Your Lawn”, which was another TV Show I did and a good thing to do after thatching.

These instructions are quite long and contain much detail,—In addition to scalping it right down with a reel mower like you did, I believe in renting a de-thatching machine, for example— too much to include here, but just briefly the job must be done in late winter just before the lawn begins to wake up and grow again so the lawn can bounce back quickly. And also after de-thatching sometimes one needs to level at that time so there aren’t bumps in the lawn which have probably occurred on your lawn due to the trees. Late winter, or early spring, February after the weather has warmed up mid-month is the best time. (De-thatch cool season-lawns in fall. Instructions for de-thatching cool-season lawns are included in my book in the chapter for September.) Lawn care is in every chapter as is care for annual and perennial flowers, roses, and vegetables. Other subjects are covered as they arise around the year.

As far as your problem with shade goes, the best lawn grass for shade is St. Augustine. New varieties of St. Augustine have finer blades than the old variety. Unfortunately it takes more water than Bermuda though not as much in shade as it does in sun. A friend of mine has it under trees and it has never been a problem for her. She has a big Easter egg hunt every year on her lawn. But yes, definitely I would de-thatch your bermuda in spring and sometimes after that it begins to look a lot better. Give it a try! And by the way, why not switch to mulch under the trees?

Thanks for your kind comments on what I wrote you about the New Zealand Christmas tree. You are very welcome. I put your thank-you at the bottom of your letter to make this a new topic under a new heading that will help people with de-thatching lawns. You know how it is done but other folks might not. (Thanks for bringing up the subject!)