Spray liquid dethatcher ...then fertilize?

[Bill Adams]

I have large areas in my lawn that need dethatching. On a recommendation of a friend I purchased a Liquid Composter & Dethatcher which is an enzyme you spray on that produces a bacteria that is supposed to accelerate the natural decomposition of lawn thatch.

It is also time to spread the crabgrass preventer and fertilizer. Keeping in mind I'm having the lawn aerated soon, please let me know your opinion:

Aerate Spray dethatcher Wait a week Fertilize

or

Aerate Fertilize Wait a week Spray dethatcher

Thanks to all.

-ba

[Kay Lancaster]

Have you really got excessive thatch? If so, knock off the high N fertilizer.

I've seen of the "biological dethatchers" has been pretty inconsistent results; mechanical dethatching is my choice.

Don't bother with crabgrass pre-emergent herbicides if the soil temp is over 60o.

Lancaster [e-mail]

[Bill Adams]

Kay, Thanks for your response.

No it's not extensive and I don't think it's deep. I'd say that about

20% of my lawn has brown/gray dead grass laying down.

[Phisherman]

Hi Bill,

I used a dethatch>I have large areas in my lawn that need dethatching. On a

[Kay Lancaster]

Are you saying the grass is dead in about 20% of the lawn? If so, the first thing I'd do is pull cores from those areas and see if you can see what might be happening. Unless you've got a *really* bad thatch problem in those areas, it's not likely that thatch is the issue.