Turf - Core Aeration for Thatch Management

Core aeration is a good way to manage excess thatch buildup in turf. The following is more information.

Core cultivation (aeration) can be used to reduce thatch accumulation, modify the physical characteristics of thatch, and remove thatch from the soil-turf interface. A single treatment may not be as effective as dethatching in removing thatch debris, but it is less injurious and disruptive to the turf. The soil cores removed with core cultivation should be redistributed throughout the turf and thatch layer. This can be done by allowing the soil cores to dry and then dragging the cores with a steel mat or chain link fence. A dethatcher can also be used to break up soil cores. The redistribution of the soil cores into the turf modifies the physical and chemical qualities of the thatch, making it a better growing medium. Soil incorporation will also enhance thatch breakdown by improving conditions for microbial activity.

Information from "Thatch Management in Turf" Rutgers University Extension Factsheet FS740 by James A. Murphy, Ph.D., Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Mamagement