DIY Dethatching Using 15” Sunjoe Dethatcher & Scarifier | Spring & Fall Lawn Care

[@michaelhrdlicka2146]

Great info. I bought my sunjoe from watching your video from last year. It pulled a lot of dead grass out and my wife and I couldn't believe how much there was. I did not put the catcher on but rigged the door to stay open about 4-6 in he's and it worked great. Thanks for the informative video.

[@KeithOutWest]

I just bought the sunjoe 15". It worked as advertised. No issues at all. Seems to be built very solid and reliable. No overheating during extended, tough use. Nice machine.

[@BrillianceAutoSpa]

Where did you buy it?

[@adamjonkie5601]

@@BrillianceAutoSpaprobably Amazon

[@Parkrocks]

Just bought my first home last month and love your videos! Definitely going to be trying these on my lawn!!

[@dmcgb1333]

I bought the SunJoe AJ805E today and power raked my lawn. I have a typical suburban 60'x120' lot size. First time I power raked this lawn after living here 6 years. I got 6 paper landscape bags FULL of thatch. The SunJoe AJ805E is no joke. It did an amazing job pulling up the thatch and scratching the ground a bit. I like the bag the machine comes with because it's easy to handle and dump into the paper landscape bags. Excellent video That Tech Teacher!!

[@ZmuBMAC1600]

I own the older one and my brother got this one in the video. I did a side by side. They work work the same. The newer one pulls a little more

[@thebordernow]

You used the SunJoe bag? How often did you have to stop and empty the bag - at the end of each pass on your lawn or less?

[@dmcgb1333]

@@thebordernow I used the SunJoe bag for a few passes but then decided to just rake up the thatch. The only issue I have with my SunJoe is the bag that comes with it is pretty small and you have to empty it quite a few times. It just seemed to better "flow" not having to stop and start all the time. Still an awesome little machine!!

[@mikeweiser2210]

I can’t recommend the Sunjoe dethatcher enough. I bought the smaller one two years ago. Used it last season for my backyard and this season I used it on my entire property…back, front and sides. It REALLY works well and pulls out sooo much dead stuff from your lawn. I went aggressive this year and used this along with Sunjoe’s electric hand tiller and regraded high spots next to my driveway and the side walk so there’s a nice smooth slope. The hand tiller ground all the heavy dirt away and with the dethatcher set all the way down, it finely smoothed out the bumps that the tiller had made. Best bang for your buck as far as these two products go! Very happy I have them both

[@gihonda127]

I know this is a year old, but I just got the 13" Sun Joe and I am about to use it on our smaller lawn and I am excited for the results. I am in Ca and last year this time we received tons of rain. Just before the rain we had seeded, and to keep the seeds in place used shaved pine bedding from our chicken coop. It worked, but now I have a lot of dead grass in the way of the good seeded area. You had a great video and I watched the previous one you did with the 13".

[@LOOMIS1638]

My father and I just used this machine for the first time today. This thing is no joke! It’s a true work horse! I’ve dethatched this same lawn with a thatching rake before, and NEVER WILL AGAIN. SunJoe for the WIN! Worth every penny! Be prepared for more thatch than you anticipate when it comes to clean up and disposal. 4 Thumbs up.

[@Market-Maven]

Nice to see when someone covers all the bases as you do here. Detatching before Scarifying is correct. Going in reverse order is a clever move! Pick up with mower, then blower was systematic, and logical, too. I reviewed 10 videos on Sunjoe products to be a smart buyer, and your lawn care here using all three, uhm, four, dethatch, scarify, mow and blow is by far most totally complete and best in each category.

[@raypalermo1603]

I have had the 13 for two seasons and love the way it works.

[@santimobeach]

I used a Wen and had to also take bag off. Worked great. I picked up so much thatch. And lawn looks phenomenal

[@mcattack2009]

Thanks for the video. I bought the 13" SunJoe last year primarily because of your video and I love it. It's not perfect, but you point out the exact issues I had. Basket is useless, and having a cord is annoying. But it does such a good job.

[@Chief_5]

Filled up two trash cans my first use with the sun Joe, thanks to your review my lawn looks great. 👍👍

[@TheTeddyFPS]

Watched couple of videos about racing mowers and now my feed is filled with your videos 😅 and man this is exciting stuff!

[@susanlatham224]

First, you are a great teacher-is that your career!?. And secondly, your lawn is beautiful, probably due to all this work you put in! I’m sure all the lil old ladies who live alone like me would love to have you as their son or grandson!❤

[@bina64]

I think it’s amazing that you got that much thatch out after going over the yard four times the year before.

[@Drew-C-]

I'm glad you made a second dethatching video. I just found your last video (I think it was from last Spring) and I am getting ready to go through this process for the first time, so I am learning all I can. I am in East TN and the grass is pretty similar here. I also just moved here and the lawn look "ok" but you can see that it needs work up close. Thanks for all the tips, especially the detailed information on the SunJoe. I am definitely going to pick up a 13" for the dethatching and scarifying tools. I plan on overseeding after this too, so getting the lawn ready for that is important. Need to kill some weeds this weekend after the heat stops, then get started on dethatching next week, then hope for some rain and steady daily high temps in the upper 70s. The only thing I am going to do different is use a lawn sweeper to pick up the debris instead of a bagger since I don't have one. I heard the sweeper works great. Thanks again for making the videos, cheers bro. Subscribed.

[@ThatTechTeacher427]

Thanks I appreciate that and the support. Hope it goes well!

[@2020333]

Thanks for the demo and explanation of the 2 models. I used your link to get us on our way to a newly refreshed lawn and back yard. Thanks.

[@kimberlyhughes5475]

I have the 13 inch SunJoe, and it's perfect for my 1/4 acre lot. Easy to use, and I'm a 66 years old decrepit woman!😂 I don't think mine came with a sacrificing BLADE, but the lowest setting with the tines gets just below the surface, and my yard looks so much better!. Great demonstration!

[@chocopieninja]

Thanks for suggesting the soft soil! Wow it would make life easier!

[@superflypheelign]

Thank you. Just bought a similar model I plan to use this weekend. Your tips are helpful!

[@NackDSP]

I set my mower to the highest setting. My grass is amazing. My neighbors do lots of work trying to keep their short lawn from dying. I don't do anything. Let it grow long and grass beats everything else.

[@blakeroni]

Obviously a few questions that could be answered by an update/follow-up video. What was the timeline after this process for growth? Did the lawn get worse before it got better? Are the problem spots you went over more than once back to green yet? Great video and now that it's spring wondering if you'd put a short update together. Cheers

[@wayneessar7489]

Do this only when there will be time, rain or irrigation and cooler weather so it recovers quickly before summer heat. I have gone over 4 times so have fun and lower the machine each time till you just see soil.

[@camdubey6554]

Got a sunjoe last year worked great for doing my yard once. Bearing in motor went south thru it in the garbage.

[@donmckenzie5027]

It’s 2 year warranty you would have gotten a brand new machine free lol

[@hbgriss]

Ive got one. The thing is actually a beast. Holding and somewhat pulling back on it a little every other step lets it pull out a ton more

[@Kanooky_Jones]

I got one of these recently. It's freaking amazing. I'm truly impressed.

[@michaelwhiting668]

I’m amazed at how good you lawn looks like

[@text-277]

Thanks for watching and commenting,❤️ you have been randomly selected from comments as winner for today’s giveaway hit me up via the digits above to claim prize🎁🎁

[@bbaccala0964]

I’m always amazed at how much gets pulled out of the lawn…

[@ЕвгенийБарахнин-ъ1д]

Because people use to throw all of the cutted grass back to lawn

[@dgamepranksterlol6078]

​@@ЕвгенийБарахнин-ъ1д 😅😅😊😅😅😊😊😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@ЕвгенийБарахнин-ъ1д]

@@dgamepranksterlol6078 they call it mulching

[@delinquense]

No kidding. I found the previous owner's wife ....😢

[@edkaempf906]

Great job demonstrating and clearly explaining what you did, including how you used your new SunJoe. And that is a great tip about picking up plugs after an aeration, using the power rake to break up and pick up the plugs. I hadn't thought of that! I have the GreenWorks corded dethatcher, so pretty much the same equipment. But I wanted to note that after dethatching with my lawn (north-south, east west directions) with the equipment, and then raking up all the debris, I found I can still collect quite a bit more dead grass after words using a hand thatching rake. In my case, manually using a thatching rake, I got about another 30% - 40% the volume of more of dead grass from my lawn (tall fescue), after using the corded equipment.

[@drcode4]

Great video. I have the 13" which I bought in the spring and have only used once. Couldn't believe how much dead grass I got out of my lawn. Planning to do it again next weekend and scarify the heck out of it before I overseed. Thanks again for your tips.

[@anthonykeller9196]

I purchase the 15" sunjoe and really love it, I love it so much I had to stop my self from using it too much . I noticed I think I was doing more harm than good to my lawn.

[@StanLeesReviews]

Thanks for your honesty I appreciate your feedback.

[@paul9792]

Loved my sunjoe. The only issue with this is make sure you don’t have weeds because it will spread the weed seeds. I spread crab crass through my lawn and had to buy expensive post emergent to get rid of it.

[@johnnyberry]

Great to see you back again. Any updates on the French drains? That’s what got me hooked.

[@ThatTechTeacher427]

Thanks it has been a while! I should go make a quick video about the drains but they work great! Another one planned for early next spring.

[@lansonfloyd4687]

That unit looks like the Senix dethatcher with the same specs too. I dropped $120 on that and so far so good. I have a totally wrecked lawn so it can't hurt.

[@CarsonHassler]

Love the professional home owner stuff. Thanks for the info.

[@mydopplife]

i live a rental but Im responsible for the yard, and plus I love yard projects..lol This fall I power raked, aerated and brought in top soil to add to the low spots. I wasnt able to do every low spot because this hasnt been done in probably 30 years and it took me 5 trailers of dirt. Couldnt afford to do more. I then overseeded and put peet moss on top. Things Ive learned..dont use too much peet moss. Also, should have used soil sand mixture. Alot of areas settled even more and its pretty bumpy. The grass is coming in but so are some weeds. My plan is...Tenacity early spring and overseed again in the bare spots that didnt get good germination and light dusting of the sand soild mixture. Water and work on week control in the summer. In the fall next year, power rake and aerate again and then buy a few more loads of soil sand mixture and try and hit some of the spots again. Then seed and light dusting of peet moss. Is this overkill?

[@thebordernow]

Might be a "little" overkill, but you certainly could be the dream wife of a lot of suburban guys! 😉

[@dougstucki8253]

The question is, did you do it all? If so, how does it look now?

[@mr-vet]

A few years ago, after we closed on our newly built home, I almost bought a dethatcher trailer for my John Deere lawn tractor. In the end, I didn’t really see the need to have one. I never had/used one for my previous 2 homes and my lawn has always looked really good most of the time (except on a few of hottest days of summer each year with little to no rain). I see my neighbor using a push one similar to the ones in your video but I don’t see any major differences in his lawn compared to mine. I have more trees (mostly mature yellow poplars with a few white oak, pin oak, and black trees) on my 3 acre lot than he does, so the bulk of my lawn doesn’t receive the the direct, harsh afternoon sun in the summer.

[@s_t_o_n_e_77]

I bought the bigger sunjoe over the winter. Can't wait to try this year. I also live in Ohio, and dealt with the army worms 2 years ago. Thatch has got to go!!!

[@mountain958]

Great video 💯 hello from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@janyshendrickson3833]

Okay, you've totally convinced me to not hire out the job and do it myself. Priced out the cost of hiring out vs buying the Sunjoe. Oddly, not too much $$ difference, the machine will pay for itself in year 2, so a pretty easy decision. Bought the 15", haven't taken it out of the box yet. Here in Ontario, it's a bit early to do the first mow, but I am going to get at it as soon as the weather permits. 🤞 it's as easy for me as it looked to be for you.

[@bobmorgia9432]

I USED THE 15 INCH LAST YEAR. DOES A GREAT JOB AS YOU SAW

[@bobmorgia9432]

I BOUGHT ONE LAST MONTH. LOVE IT. GOOD INVESTMENT

[@habanero5.054]

Just got the 15” one. Gonna tackle this over the weekend with my dad👍

[@XicanoScholar]

I just bought my first home and these videos are so helpful man. I appreciate it and will be doing river rock in my back yard!

[@mykolashatkovskyi8817]

Great video - you've explained everything I needed to know about freshly bought SunJoe tool. NOW I have a plan what and WHY todo. Liking and subscribing. Thank you.

[@budcanter9747]

Good points, I have the smaller version and it works just as you mentioned. I didn’t use the bag either, way to small for what comes out of the lawn! Now to see how the lawn looks next spring!👍🇺🇸

[@ThatTechTeacher427]

Thanks I hope it turns out well!

[@xzibit8614]

I read thatch is good as it slows down evaporation. Water will always sleep through the thatch (think mulch). It’s a weave, not a plastic membrane. Farmers will sometimes cut a hay field during heat waves and not pickup the hay so it helps slow evaporation loss, and make the fields grow back healthier.

[@billthompson8182]

Depends on the plant. Hay is a lot quicker growing and, generally, a lot more aggressive than lawn grass. A lot of hay is actually just crabgrass. Some others are orchard and timothy. For me, the areas where I have thatch, the grass full on dies out. In its place, grows weeds and other native plants. It doesn't happen right away. The thatch forms, the grass dies back, some weird white stuff grows and then the grass is gone. Bare soil under the thatch...

[@ThatTechTeacher427]

I also think some people refer to the dead grass in their lawn as thatch. Really from what I understand the thatch layer of the lawn is directly above the roots on the dirt and some decaying grass clippings there is a good thing. This thatch layer holds in moisture

[@ronaldberger4752]

Has anyone tried keeping the bag on but cutting out the bottom of the sunjoe bag so the door is fully open but safer to operate?

[@danielashford]

@@ronaldberger4752Interesting idea. I may be purchasing one of these machines... I'll have to keep your idea in mind.

[@KeithOutWest]

Thanks! I just ordered the 15" from your link. 🙂

[@speedysteve9121]

Raked today until it rained. Scarify and leaf blower tomorrow.

[@RealWomenRealStories]

Do you water every other day after scarifying, dethatching and fertilizing? Thanks!

[@stephenlandry9061]

Use soil amendments that help the soil structure that will help break down thatch. Use a liquid dethatcher ( Liquid Dthatch by Next ) if your lawn does start to brown up during heat it could be hydrophobic , shampooing it with Baby Shampoo works wonders. It’s been 5 years since my yard has seen a mechanical dethatcher or aerator.

[@marccheban194]

You have put together a fine video here that is clearly narrated and explained. It was very helpful to see the inner workings of the dethachers (the parts that came with the 'not recommended' warning). I will have to explore your other videos. BTW, are you a cyclist? I ask because you have well developed and shaped calves.

[@Jim-iq6bx]

Have watched multiple videos on the Sun joe. Decided to go with a Toro mini cultivator and Earthquake dethatcher attachment. I also have 3/4 of an acre. $350 from Home Depot. No power lines to work around. Plus you get a tiller. Imagine you will get many more seasons/uses out of the Toro. Used zero turn to bag up clippings. Spray your chute with WD 40 silicone, it will make the collection process A LOT easier.

[@tadmarshall2739]

I like the battery-powered version of the Sun Joe.

[@raysheehan10]

really informative and very useful. thanks for your help. Ray in Romsey England

[@jbmckean]

switch your grass first thing in the morning when the dew is on it ..them you should hollow tyne your whole lawn then you should scarify it and then re seed the bare spots. (have been taking care of bowling lawns for 30 years.

[@ladidadi79]

Just the video I was looking for, clear and concise😊

[@ninjaracer08]

Cleetus Mcfarland fan, I knew I was in the right spot.

[@gordonderouyan9980]

Not sure if you mentioned lowering the machine for the scarifier. I think the recommended is -5mm for scarifying.

[@TexasRaiser]

I would like to see a video of what you do with the next dethatching as well as the soil addition.

[@bradoutboard8885]

I live in eastern NC and have pretty thick centipede in the front and back yards. I've tried 2 electric products on my yard; an electric mower and dethatcher. Neither had the power to perform as well as the gas powered units.

[@douglasdever6134]

A lot easier having a front yard with stone/rock and small bushes. Glad I live where I do. Grass is for people who don't have other things to do, or just want to compete with neighbor on who has the greenest grass.

[@joseantoniocatzinborraz1650]

Excelente contenido, adquirí uno y no lo he probado por exceso de lluvia.

[@wessimpson2544]

I just ordered one but the smaller one since my yard 1/2 your size. The same thing happened to my lawn this summer. Now, I’m in Georgia and have warm season grass Zosia. I read only scarify warm season grass but some do both like you? I have brown spots of dead grass too.

[@rockybass9764]

Nice comprehensive video. Thank you.

[@jonpenguin303]

I have the older version Sun Joe. It works great, however I see with the new version they use a full bar activating switch as apposed to the single trigger. The trigger on mine broke inside the switch casing after about 4 uses. I had to bypass the safety switch to get it to work.(not safe) impossible to find parts for these. The bag attachment is completely useless. Sun Joe makes products that do a fine job, but the quality of their build needs to improve.

[@andrew_gardner]

Last year I bought the 13in and used it on my yard in MD. One thing that I didn't see any one talk about in their review videos was that this is not a great option if you have bermuda grass. It did a good job of dethatching but needs to have the longer strands of bermuda pulled out often. And scarifying was a no go. I made it a few passes into the yard when the bermuda grass clogged up the roller and finally snapped the drive belt. Luckily Sunjoe has a pretty good site for finding and buying spares so I got 2 new belts to replace the broke one and still have a spare on hand. Just figured that might help some one else that wouldn't have thought about the bermuda grass not being handled well by the machine.

[@philp3512]

This is a wonderful video, and I understand it was for demonstration purposes...but if you're scarifying, it seems you don't need to dethatch first. I scarify, using this Sun Joe, too, each spring. Then I aerate with a commercial aerator that me and my neighbors rent for a weekend.

[@DavidSanchez-bb3qm]

I’m impressed by the way you go through explaining how tha machines work 👍🏽 I love my grass and spend time reviewing and taking into consideration your opinions (awesome) I live in south Texas(Corpus Christi) and have St.Augustine,my grass is definitely in need of this remedies,is there a different time of year to start this process?

[@jempr2]

Would it be prudent to seed after using this? April, in Colorado. Thanks

[@andrewgavin4556]

Love your videos, dude! Bought the 13 inch after watching your video last year... Wishing I went with the 15 inch, since my yard is a bit bigger than yours. Hope you can post more videos, because I love them, and plan to replicate a few of them (the baby room, garage storage) myself!

[@ThatTechTeacher427]

Awesome to hear man and I really appreciate it!

[@vleni_]

Absolutely fire man🤙🏼🤙🏼

[@plaza5pro]

Great video. Food for thought. You could have power raked in the direction you scarified the lawn and you would have gotten a similar result.

[@allinsuranceadvisors5534]

This is very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

[@tyronebailey52]

Great Info!!! 🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡

[@SwingerVic]

nice info, my concern is when in the year...exact month, and how many times per yesr ....I will get one and plan to get my neighbors to use it at no cost I feel that will defray the cost to help others

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

I'd like to see how your lawn turned out? A after video. Thanks.

[@EricHealey-cu1le]

My 1st dethatching experience, I purchased it based on your recommendation. Unbelievable how much dead grass is in my lawn, how can I slow it down, as I am using it? Any suggestions? Thanks

[@pferrara929]

Thanks for the video found. I found it very informative. Two questions though, why was there the warning this operation not recommended, and when you said power raking, did you mean the scarifier?

[@leonardherring2932]

What type of grass you have can you use both blades or only the one that it came installed with

[@colbysmith1398]

Great review and good info

[@hernanserrano3464]

I have so many questions and I’m not sure where to start. I will say thank you for this video. Ok, 1: I live in the St Louis Metro Area and have owned my home for 20 years and never detached before. I have tall fescue. What setting do you recommend I use this first time around? 2: Today is September 8th and it has started to cool down. Last week it was in the 90s and stifling. What time/date is it best to overseed and grow grass in the fall? I plan to purchase some high grade fescue and apply it after I finish my dethatching . 3: What fertilizer starter do you recommend I app,y after I reseed? Thanks for all your advice.

[@ThinkBeFree99]

Can you do a video on how to easily pick all that up? I have a pretty big yard so its a very daunting task.

[@richardkitzer346]

How did you get that eye in the sky shot? That was helpful! My dethatcher just arrived about five minutes ago via Amazon so I'm boning here up here on correct method.

[@tiffanymullins3411]

I was thinking that if u could make a hitch attachment to hook ur mower to the Thatcher 😮😮😮

[@marathonkev]

Thanks for the great video! Question: Is it easy to replace the tines on the dethatcher? I have an older Greenworks dethatcher and replacing the tines is a bit of a hassle. Thanks

[@Maximus091768]

Great vid! I did the power rake on the lowest setting. Did a great job. Do I have to use the scarifier

[@charliemcdougall]

The 15" Sunjoes that I am seeing are battery powered. Can you also plug them in, like yours. Do you have both options. Cause those batteries won't last long enough! And thanks for the mower-height tip!

[@DwightStebner]

Will the scarifier help level out the ridge that is higher than the sidewalk? The dirt lawn is about 2.5" above the sidwalk, I want to lower the ridge.

[@matthewdoust5685]

Following

[@reganprince2042]

Excellent video - very informative1😀

[@MichaelCampbell01]

That checkboard tho... oof. You ever try going diagonally or just outside in to give those ruts in your grass from the mower wheels a break?

[@ega9831]

Thanks for the two great videos. My yard needs some serious work. In fact there is almos no grass, only green stuff that grows in the PNW including moss but no grass. Some people would say that I should till the yard or get rid of the top 1 inch but that is too much work for me and I believe I could get away by scarfing the surface softening the first layer of dirt and reseed. Would the Sun Joe be able to kind of till the ground? Thanks

[@BruceBonkowski]

I bought a used rental bluebird and adjust the blades on the driveway to 1/4"above and criss-cross I feel a better job and I paid $150 for one used

[@almartin2031]

What do you do with all the grass clippings? When I bought my new lawnmower I decided to catch the clippings and see how that worked. I usually just leave it on the lawn. There was so much clippings so I took it out behind my fence and thought it would degrade quickly there but instead it just hardened and became a nice place for ants and rats. It looks like dethatching would fill numerous brown lawn bags for pickup. Best way to deal with debris?

[@ericrodriguez404]

Loved this video as well as the one you did last year. Because of last years video I took the plunge and bought the Sun Joe. As I was watching this video, I was wondering if it would be better to use the scarifier first to cut/break up the thatch then do the powerrake second? I really enjoyed your video from others because I too am in Ohio.

[@ericcogshell8078]

toro finally has decent bagging system--the old models were crap--set too low where bag opening constantly clogged and would not fill.

[@richardefriend]

The 15" Sun Joe looks good, but I've got my eye on the very new Wen 16" 15 amp 55L catch basket. Ant thoughts?

[@ijamesfowler]

What do you do with all your clippings/dethached grass?

[@MrOwaisk]

Great info. Can you seed PRG right after liquid aeration or one have to wait for few days?

[@ytvandre]

What are your height settings for scarifier ? Also zero?