Dethatch or Verticut Bermuda or Zoysia Lawn

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Doc discusses why we don't dethatch warm season lawns like Bermuda and Zoysia. Instead we do something called verticutting. Our goal is to thin out the lawn without damaging the runners and causing a big mess.

[@terriewilliams8831]

Can't wait to see this yard next year. I'm sure it will be beautiful.

[@cameronandersonsr]

I need to do this to my cool season lawn. Great information.

[@kleenk8]

My Sun Joe died recently after providing me with Yeoman Service over the years. I really beat it up, and let my neighbors use it. It was a beast. I think I stripped the inner gear system while pulling it backwards in a heavy clump of vines in the garden. If I get another, it will be cord...I have enough battery powered stuff. Make sure you use a heavy duty cord with the right Amp rating to protect the motor. A very nice little machine. Using a cord is no big deal once you master the technique. I used it on my Bermuda with no ill effects.

[@jasonhammons3826]

Yard looks amazing man!

[@sagefi1]

I used the first attachment on my zoysia to dethatch it. I keep my grass fairly long and it was very thick. It was a lot of work and i had about 25 bags of thatch - but no stolons pulled up. Mine doesn't have them like a bermuda would. I think it took longer to green up afterwards, but I'm happy with the result so far

[@mp9350]

I use the dethatcher prongs on my crowne zoysia and it works wonderfully. You just need to run a pass or too and set the depth appropriately. The scarifier rips up the yard and i would only use that if I had a thick layer of thatch because I wasn’t maintaining it.

[@machinegundroner9411]

I wish you would've put this video out back in February. I de-thatched my bermuda lawn thinking I was doing the right thing. I guess that explains why I had so many bare spots in April. I ended up getting a pallet of sod and putting it down.

[@crockette1962]

It's not because you dethatched, it's because of when you did it and how healthy your lawn was when you did it. You do it when the grass is growing.

[@user-vo3ou1op7d]

Cool video Doc,thanks.Ive just ordered a dethatcher/Scarifier...will just use the scarifier.I cut my Zoysia at .35"(reel mower)and its really starting to get puffy....

[@bryanbandagski3629]

Did this to my Bermuda yesterday hopefully it helps! I’m also convinced Doc was a CSM in the Army 🤣🤔

[@jamesarnold5100]

Good video love the music

[@adamghazal9204]

Thanks Doc!

[@NoblesTx]

I’m not sure iv ever heard doc say st Augustine before haha show the st A some love!

[@jkleczewski]

The Sun Joe scarifier is amazing...

[@td2994]

Great video! BTW, do you have a recommendation for an exterior deck wood filler?

[@dia9491]

Hey Doc, if you have a chance can you let me know if I can use super juice in a very small 400-500 square feet area? I’ve gotten lawn fertilizers before that are too strong and I wasn’t sure if I could mix it light enough. I’m new to growing grass and your videos have been super helpful. I want to try the super juice but I don’t want to mix it too strong. Any advice would help. Thank you so much for all your help Doc! Love your videos.

[@jsa4864]

I use my dethatcher every year on my zoysia lawn and have amazing results.

[@89hb]

What tines of the year do you do it? I have zoysia as well

[@jerryhulsey9618]

Doc, is that a mimosa tree behind your shoulder at 3:20? They are supposedly invasive but they are neat in my opinion

[@zanewalls8596]

What score far would you recommend for a yard that's over an acre in size? Using the one you have in this video with take me forever.

[@tsunami397]

Hay Doc! I did exactly what you told us not to do with that little spring flippy thing on my dethatcher prior to watching the video. Now I have all these runners poking out. Should I just scalp the yard and start over? 😢

[@davidrabian1281]

Doc, I have LOVED your videos. As a zoysia owner in he mid-atlantic zone (CLAY soil) I have actually had a pretty great experience until just the last two years. I'm sure I've done some thing(s) stupid, but It's REALLY struggled this spring especially. I'm using your guide as a hopeful (and now educated) road to recovery. I have a bunch of GREENWORKS stuff, so got the GW battery scarifier back in April and it worked for, no exaggeration here, about 5 small passes until it just wouldn't spin the blades if they made contact with ANYTHING. So, a question, when you are scarifying, is the blade supposed to be cutting into the soil? Or just into the organic material alone? I started high, lowered until material started coming up, but wasn't sure (didn't matter since the thing quit anyway). I'm thinking of getting the SJ Corded for the "sure" power, but now I'm all up in the air because I don't know if the clay base is too hard on these light tools or what. I know you get a thousand questions a week from dolts like me, so no worries if you can't reply, but I thought I'd take a shot. THANK YOU for the great vids and sharing your knowledge, you've been a fun and entertaining find for me on YT.

[@HowTowithDoc]

Keep it out of the soil and just deep enough to do the job. Don't put resistance on the unit either. Let it travel as it wants. You're right most units strip out the gear quickly. But being easy with them will do the job.

[@davidrabian1281]

@@HowTowithDoc Thanks for the reply Doc, all the best!

[@singingriverwoodwork]

Nice!

[@MyGuyKirby]

I rent a commercial dethatcher but it works great to remove the dead grass built up on my zoysia Jamur variety

[@markchester7584]

My superb petrol driven Einhell scarifier/verticutter was around £280.

[@fenceman53]

I think Doc bought all the Zoysia seed . Can’t find any in stock

[@crispylineslim5041]

New sub, very nice music.

[@Zardnokalicious]

Apparently I have been using my SunJoe dethatcher wrong. For what it is worth, using it with the tines pulled up a lot of the thick under-thatch that was starving my soil of oxygen and definitely helped. It also gave me bags of thatch and leaves to feed my worms. I will dig out the scarifier blade and try it out next.

[@smoothboyhobbies]

You're doing it right, Doc is wrong here.

[@gmoneyboys1]

​@@smoothboyhobbiesI thought the same thing. I think Doc is using it wrong

[@lalojr76ify]

It seems to work, but if you have some bare spots don’t go over it like I did. It really mad them spots bare😂. But dethatching my lawn seemed to work good!

[@ZukaraTheGame]

It's not oxygen plants don't need oxygen they produce it. They need air with C02 in it

[@markymark8665]

What’s your recommendation or source for Zoysia seed? You mentioned it but it’s not linked anywhere.

[@SuperBass4life]

What do you think of the Hudson star greens mower

[@NicolasMoore838]

Doc, an unrelated question to the video, but do you have advice that I can pass on to a lady (widow) on how to rid and prevent “destroying Angel” mushrooms? She recently bought a new puppy, who (the puppy) decided the mushrooms should be eaten, now the dog is fighting liver failure from the toxins. I’m not a warm season lawn guy, so y’all’s “fungi” is not present in my cool season lawn. Thanks for any and all advice -Che Bella Amore Lagotti

[@ac7384]

Is it ok to dethatch on kb. It has rhizomes as well

[@aa0517748]

There’s goes your rest days doc. It never ends

[@rafbo2]

Hi Doc, is the same true for Kikuyu lawn? Thanks!

[@Halcyon1861]

I have that same sunjoe and it worked last spring I plug it in this year...nothing.

[@johnhoward6551]

Great video doc can you use the Scarifier on cool season grass?

[@HowTowithDoc]

We use it when seeding but better to use the prongs for normal

[@polocash11]

I sacrified thinking it would be like a rake, after cutting as low as possible. My problem isn't so mutch mulch, but leaves. I have a live oak and red oaks on each side. These leaves nestle into the grass and block sunlight. I had burmuda that has slowly thinned as my tree got bigger, shade. I also scarified to make cuts to put out tall fescue seed. My WEN battery operated scarifier has a bag for catching what it it loosens up, almost. I then ran my Honda to pick up the rest. Better but still still have leaves. Is there a setting on Honda or a blade with better suction? I have see raising the front wheels higher than the rear, did not work. I live in central Texas.

[@kurtrundell6834]

There's nothing wrong with dethatching bermuda, although verticutting is a better option. Sure, dethatching will pull up the stolons, but it also thins out thick grass -- new stolons will still form.

[@donnaber4918]

Hi Doc, just found your site. Great information. I do have a question about zoysia, my neighbor has St Augustine grass and it is invading my zoysia. How would you recommend getting the st aug out? Thanks

[@HowTowithDoc]

Not much you can do besides building a barrier or spraying a "death line"

[@davidrabian1281]

Thanks!

[@DJdavefromlondon]

Doc... I'm new to yard work and have watched many of yours and others videos. This topic..verticut, scarify power rake, dead-material -remove and dethatch is full of contradictions online and I think the problem is terminology. Even you use scarify and verticut interchangeably. You also said scarifying will also do some dethatching. Could you make a video with PowerPoint to scientifically define all these processes and correct tool to use.

[@HowTowithDoc]

The only difference is the blade vs prong. Scarifying and verticutting cut and lightly pull vs a PRONG unit that only pulls.

[@kentb.1456]

What kind of Bermuda seeds do you like?

[@leightri]

what time of year is it best to do this to zoysia in South Carolina?

[@rmar7081]

WHEN! do I scarify? Details matter when learning doc. Make a list. Make believe you are hearing this for the first time.

[@randyvelarde7448]

Very confusing. Just bought the alett sterling and they highly recommended the dethatcher n verticutter as extra steps to a beautiful lawn. They did say to lightly dethatch. What do I do? 🤦‍♂️

[@luiscuadrado3646]

Off topic just watched your video spraying for mosquitoes. Is that safe for pets?

[@leonardherring2932]

Do you have to sharpen the blades

[@markd9105]

Can you do a video on how to kill moles. They are killing my back yard.

[@alexp9191]

A Mix of Zoyzia and what cool season type?

[@wat2000]

What’s up doc you just had me thinking so normally when you put down seed then scarify and put down seed again then scarify one last time you leave all that debris there? Wouldn’t this only hurt germination If it’s too much debris ?

[@HowTowithDoc]

Yes, too much can cause issues. But small amount is good.

[@RockyRandall]

For some reason I always think you are saying "lawn gods" when you say "lawn guides." Haha

[@mustang9549]

That’s that Georgia coming out 😂

[@greggoryheil769]

I thought zoysia doesn't grow from seed, how did you over seed it ?

[@cristenboles7070]

If the dethather pulls things up... but the scarifier cuts, and then you go back and pull things up...... whats the difference? 🤔 arent you still grabbing the runners?

[@user-xu1io3wg9t]

Fyi the battery Sunjoe dethatcher/scarifier does not actually come with batteries or charger.

[@ZekeMagnum]

Verticut really hurts my soul but damn it looks good after. I try to close my eyes for 2 weeks when walking outside so I dont have to see the lawn healing

[@2763735]

Doc Can I fertilize a newly seeded Bermuda lawn that has germinated and has a lot of sprigs coming up?

[@HowTowithDoc]

Sure.. no problems

[@brianhume1555]

Go Dawgs!

[@monicagrant6092]

BTW how do you contain your bamboo? I would love to have some in my yard.

[@lovelandco7502]

The Doc prescribed Clumping Bamboo. He also has a video on it in the archives.

[@HowTowithDoc]

The reply below is correct . it's clumping bamboo not normal

[@michaelsavacool1321]

​@How To with Doc where did you get the clumping bamboo?

[@Yokomohoyo69]

Doc, do you recommend vertí cutting in the summer heat?

[@HowTowithDoc]

On warm season yes if you have irrigation.

[@DSRTSLA]

Doc, is that bamboo good to be used as a wind break?

[@HowTowithDoc]

I don't think it's heavy enough for that.

[@DSRTSLA]

@@HowTowithDoc privacy probs ok then. Thanks Doc. 🤜🏼

[@gregoliver739]

What's the best way to dispose of the grass clippings?

[@Lion_lamb]

Put it on your neighbors yard

[@thewatcher8773]

I compost mine, but it takes a bit of work. You have to mix it with some brown and turn it over every couple of days, or the grass clippings will clump up and start smelling pretty bad. Otherwise, you can bag it and put it on the curb.

[@89hb]

When is the best time for vericutting warm season grass??

[@HowTowithDoc]

If you have irrigation or rain... now

[@89hb]

@@HowTowithDoc awesome thanks. Would laying down some prodiamine after vericutting be a good idea?

[@gfdia35]

It's been a year since the bamboo planting , am i seeing rhizomes getting away into the lawn ?

[@velcroman11]

1) Scarify with a horizontal rotary mower (say, your Honda). 2) Use the Sunjoe with the vertical times. This is called “Verti-cutting. 3) Use the rotary mower (say your Honda) to pick up the rubbish. Vert-cutting is not scarifying. The tines are correctly know as a power rake. It can be used on Zoysia, we have Zoysia Zeon. Just don’t go down to the soil level.

[@steveparker9963]

First