Reviving an Abused Lawn?

[m Ransley]

Thatch is caused by fast release fertilisers or over fertilising making grass roots stay near the surface. Leaves do not cause thatch and are beneficial for a natural fertiliser and in studies reduce fungal problems. The only time I had thatch was with Chemlawn liqued type fertilisers. Mulching 6 inches of leaves every fall till pieces are small has hurt nothing and reduced my fertiliser need to nearly nothing.

[Joseph Meehan]

I agree that most commercial fertilizers contribute greatly to thatch problems and are bad in other ways as well. That may not be the only cause of thatch, but in the US I would say it is be far the most common. On top of that it is bad for the overall health of the grass.