The benefits of Verticutting

There are so many different types of grasses, and every type will benefit from Verticutting.
Benefits:

1. Thinning
2. Aeration
3. Removal of thatch
4. Decreasing the density
5. Improving the movement of water into the soil
6. Allows pesticides to penetrate the surface better
7. Prepares a lawn for over-seeding
8. Improves mowing,especially with St. Augustine grasses

Some grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia are quite dense and should be Verticutt more often. 

A very interesting fact about Bahia grasses, is Verticutting will double it's growth.  Bahia grass has rhizomes that grow on the surface and when you split the rhizome, it's reproduces.  Just be sure the lawn has no Mole-crickets. The problem with Bahia, as in the photo, when the areas die, only weeds or weedy grasses will grow back, unless you verticutt.  Remember a power-rake is not a Verticutter.

St. Augustine grasses offer very different problems from other grasses, those who have experienced the lush thick and dense St. Augustine lawn can really struggle in the growing season, with mowing.

Here in Central Florida and anywhere St. Augustine grasses grow, it seems in the last 5 years, the lawns are out of control, with excessive layering.

Reasons:

• Over-watering, and reclaimed water, it adds more nutrients.
• Over fertilizing.
• Excessive top growth, the grass grows on top of it-self, making mowing very difficult with home-owner type mowers.

Occasionally, we run across the perfect St. Augustine lawn, meaning it's mowing height is around 2.5 inches, not 4 inches.

So how do we solve this problem, we train our lawn?

• First we want the lawn as dry as possible for Verticutting.
• Our Verticutting season here is the middle of Oct. to maybe middle of Dec. Spring Feb. 15th to May 15th.
• This year we going to make a effort to educate the customer?
• My goal will be to reach the customer early enough so they are able to start lowering the mower 1/4 or so at each mowing, or even mow more often to bring the grass down to 2.5 or 3 inches. 
• A good combination of less Nitrogen fertilizer, less water, and cutting back that excessive top growth, will prepare the lawn for the best possible Verticutting.
• To help maintain perfect health, all lawns should be Verticutt yearly, some twice the first year.

 York