Does grasscycling cause thatch build-up?
A.No! The most common causes of thatch are frequent, shallow watering and over-fertilizing, which keep the roots from growing down into the soil for water and nutrients. Thatch is composed mainly of roots, runners, and stems, not grass clippings. These plant materials contain large amounts of a hard, woody material called lignin that decomposes slowly. Grass clippings are approximately 80-85 percent water with only small amounts of lignin, and decompose rapidly. Some grasses such as St. Augustine and (to a lesser degree) bermuda grass are more thatch-prone than others.
No! Research has shown that grass roots are the primary cause of thatch, not grass clippings. Thatch is composed mainly of roots, stems, rhizomes, crowns, and stolons. These plant materials contain large amounts of lignin and decompose slowly. Grass clippings are approximately 80-85 percent water with only small amounts of lignin, and decompose rapidly. Some grasses such as bermudagrass and kikuyugrass are more thatch-prone than others. A small amount of thatch (approximately 1/2 inch) is actually beneficial to a lawn, providing insulation to roots and serving as a mulch to prevent excessive water evaporation and soil compaction. It may also create a cushioning effect for lawn play.
No! Clippings and thatch are simply not connected; research has shown that grass roots are the primary cause of thatch, not grass clippings. Thatch is composed mainly of roots, stems and crowns; it results from the abnormally fast growth of roots and other plant tissues and is caused by improper fertilizing and watering. These plant materials contain large amounts of lignin and decompose slowly. Grass clippings are approximately 80-85 percent water with only small amounts of lignin, and decompose rapidly.
