Many people have doubted the effects of liquid dethatchers, while others have sung their praises. One of the more popular products is Liquid Rake. With all the speculation regarding these products, it is safe to ask, “Do Liquid Rake or liquid dethatchers work?”
Liquid Rakes and other liquid dethatchers do work as intended, but hey take several months up to two seasons to bring a thatch layer under control. Thatch digestors begin and speed up the composting process of the thatch while thatch removers try to attack the thatch directly.
Did you know that Liquid Rake does not only decompose thatch but also has other benefits? Also, did you know that there is more than one type of liquid dethatcher? Wouldn’t you like to find out about all of this? All the answers you need are here.
Contents
What Is Liquid Rake?
Liquid Rake is a natural liquid lawn dethatcher. It is a non-evasion substance that can be used to minimize thatch by breaking it down and preventing further build-up. This dethatcher does not damage your lawn and keeps it strong and healthy.
Liquid Rake is a combination of natural components (microorganisms and enzymes) that feed on dead plant tissue. These microbes and enzymes multiply as they come in contact with more thatch and decompose the thatch faster. It comes in liquid form to be spread evenly over a lawn.
Liquid Rake breaks down thatch, mower mulch, and grass clippings into humus, a top-notch natural fertilizer.
It is environment-friendly and non-toxic to humans, animals, and plants. It also acts to improve the viability of your lawn. It works in several conditions and turf types, and you can use a small amount in a large area.
Aside from the visible benefits of Liquid Rake on your lawn, it also improves your soil’s water and oxygen penetration, which leads to your grass having deeper and stronger roots.
Without so much thatch in your lawn, insects and pest breeding will reduce, which will, in turn, reduce the need for you to use pesticides.
With Liquid Rake, there is no need for mechanical (manual) dethatching, a process that can damage your lawn, and it also saves you the stress and time it would take to do the operation manually.
Make sure you apply Liquid Rake to moist or wet lawns. If your lawn is dry when you apply the liquid, endeavor to water it within 24 hours of usage. Also, do not use Liquid Rake in temperatures over 90°F unless you can water your lawn immediately after.
When you use Liquid Rake for the first time, apply about 3-6 oz. per 1000 square feet. After that, you can use 1-2 oz. per 1000 square feet in recurring applications. If you don’t use the Liquid Rake hose-end, use 1-2 gallons per acre for other spray equipment.
By applying Liquid Rake three times at intervals of four weeks apart, you can enjoy the full effect of this substance. Ensure to use Liquid Rake in union with a scheduled fertilization program.
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Does Liquid Dethatcher Really Work?
The first thing you should know is that there are two types of liquid dethatchers. They are both easy to spray and cost-efficient. Liquid dethatchers do work. However, each type works differently to get the same result.
Liquid dethatcher does work in both of its forms with repeated applications over several months. Thatch digester versions add good microbes to your soil to start the composting of the thatch layer. The acid in thatch removal products attempts to break down thatch directly.
Many people don’t know the difference in the two forms and could be using the wrong one for their situation. Let’s look into them a bit further.
Liquid Dethatcher: Thatch Digesters
One type is the biological thatch digesters. These digesters add a bountiful amount of microbes and biological life to your lawn. Afterward, the microbes and other organisms speed up the decomposition of the thatch layer.
Coincidentally, most lawns already have these organisms in them, and they do the same job. The only issue is that these soil microbes are not active enough to efficiently break down the thatch layer, which is where the biological thatch digesters come in.
A drawback of the biological thatch digesters is that they do not live for long, which means that you might purchase a batch that has mostly dead or inactive microorganisms.
Sometimes, buying biological thatch digesters relies on luck. It’s like trying to buy a bucket of worms; most or all of them could be dead before you get home.
Though if a good culture of microorganisms can be obtained many professional and academic sources report good results from its use. Many golf course crews use this type of treatment on their greens and fairways.
In a study done by researchers at the Daejung Turfgrass Research Institute, a mixture of these types of microbes in with fertilizers have a positive effect on the decomposition of the turf grass thatch layer.
A good example of this is Thatch Buster by Turf Titan. It can be found on Amazon.com.
Liquid Dethatcher: Thatch Removal Products
Second, we have liquid thatch removal products. They do not add any components to the biology of your lawn; instead, they feed it.
These products were created to feed the organisms in your soil and improve it over time, thereby activating the microorganisms that occur naturally in your lawn.
As your soil improves, it can break down the thatch layer into the soil faster than usual and eventually eradicate it.
All thatch removal products come with various ingredients, but they are almost similar. In fact, most of them are made with a combination of molasses and humic acid.
How Fast Do Liquid Rake And Liquid Dethatchers Work?
Most people consider liquid dethatcher the best option for removing thatch from their lawn. Even the most premium liquid dethatchers are more affordable than buying electric equipment or paying a company to eliminate the thatch.
Liquid Rake and other liquid dethatchers take several applications spaced at approximately 3 to 4 weeks apart to work. This means that it could take one or even two seasons of applications for them to adequately break down the thatch layer in most lawns. This could result in a multi-year process.
If you choose to use this method, be ready for an ongoing project that could last several seasons because it takes a long time for the thatch to break down even with the use of thatch digesters.
How To Speed Up Liquid Rake And Dethatchers
If you want to speed up the process, you can aerate your soil so that air flows into the thatch layer. By doing so, you create the appropriate conditions for the efficient decomposition of thatch layers.
Electric dethatchers, scarifiers, and verticutters can help you with the aeration of your lawn. Endeavor to core aerate your lawn twice a year, usually before its regular growing season.
If you have a cold-season lawn, you can aerate at the beginning of spring and near the end of summer. However, if you have a warm-season lawn, aerate near the end of spring and at the beginning of summer.
As long as you use a quality core aerator, the cores you pull will extend into the soil, no matter how bad the thatch layer is.
Aside from creating the proper environment for thatch to decompose, cores also help you remove parts of the thatch without damaging your lawn. You can remove about 15% of the thatch in your lawn from core aeration.
You can even top-dress your lawn with items like biochar, worm castings, and compost for a more viable lawn.
By combining the liquid dethatcher, core aeration, and top-dressing, you can get a healthier lawn and remove thatch faster and more effectively than only using one technique.
Final Touches On Liquid Rake And Other Liquid Detatchers…
The bottom line is that thatch buildup can reduce the amount of water getting you your soil and the roots of your grass. It can also prevent some of your grass root systems from reaching deeply into the soil.
Liquid dethatchers like Liquid Rake and others can start and speed up the decomposition process in your lawn to get rid of most of this thatch layer. These products do work, but it will take time and patience.
There are also a few ways to speed up how fast these dethatchers work. Aeration and top-dressing are a few that can help.
Be ready for several applications and several months of monitoring your lawn when using these products. They are not quick fixes, but definitely do the job they were intended for if used correctly.
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