Verticutting is an intensive cultural practice that involves using a machine with thin, vertically-oriented blades to slice into the turf. This process mechanically manages the lawn by cutting through and removing the dense layer of organic matter that accumulates just above the soil surface. This technique promotes a healthier growing environment by improving air circulation and light penetration down to the soil level.
Why Bermuda Grass Requires Verticutting
Bermuda grass, a warm-season turf, has an aggressive growth habit that makes verticutting necessary for long-term health. It spreads rapidly through both above-ground runners called stolons and below-ground stems known as rhizomes. This vigorous lateral growth creates a large volume of plant tissue that, over time, contributes to a thick, spongy layer of thatch.
Thatch is a felt-like layer composed primarily of dead and slowly decomposing stolons, rhizomes, and stems. This material accumulates faster than natural decomposition can break it down. When this layer exceeds about half an inch in thickness, it becomes detrimental to the lawn. Excessive thatch acts like a barrier, impeding the movement of water, nutrients, and air from reaching the root zone, and promotes disease development. Verticutting directly addresses this problem by physically removing the excess organic material and cutting the stolons to encourage new, upright growth.
Determining the Best Seasonal Timing
The timing for verticutting Bermuda grass is directly linked to the grass’s active growth cycle and the stability of the soil temperature, not simply a date on the calendar. Since the process is intentionally stressful to the turf, the grass must be growing vigorously to ensure a quick and complete recovery. The ideal window for this maintenance procedure is late spring to early summer, after the lawn has fully greened up following winter dormancy.
Soil temperature is the most reliable indicator, with the ground temperature at a four-inch depth needing to be consistently above 65°F (18°C) to support the necessary root and shoot growth for rapid healing. Warm-season grasses like Bermuda enter their peak growth phase when soil temperatures are in the 80°F to 90°F range, which provides the best conditions for recovering from the slicing action of the verticutter. Performing the procedure too early, before the grass is actively growing, significantly prolongs the recovery period and leaves the turf vulnerable to stress, weeds, and disease.
Verticutting too late in the season, typically in late summer or early fall, is problematic because the grass will not have enough time to heal before it begins its natural slowdown toward winter dormancy. This reduced growth rate means the turf will enter winter in a weakened state, increasing the risk of cold weather damage. For most home lawns, a single verticutting session per year is sufficient to manage the thatch layer, though a second, less severe pass may be performed during peak summer growth for highly maintained turf.
Essential Preparation and Recovery Steps
The success of verticutting depends heavily on the steps taken immediately before and after the procedure. In the days leading up to the verticutting, the lawn should be mowed significantly lower than its normal height, a practice often referred to as scalping. This prepares the turf by exposing the thatch layer, allowing the verticutting blades to engage the material more effectively.
The soil should be slightly moist, but not saturated, when the procedure is performed, which can be achieved by watering the lawn a couple of days in advance. It is important to mark any underground irrigation heads, utility lines, or other obstacles to prevent damage from the verticutter’s blades. The verticutter should be used in at least two directions perpendicular to each other to ensure maximum removal of the organic debris.
Immediate cleanup is a necessary post-procedure step, as the verticutting pulls a large volume of dead and living material to the surface. This debris must be promptly raked or swept up and removed, as leaving it on the lawn defeats the purpose of the procedure. To promote rapid healing, follow cleanup with a light application of a nitrogen-rich fertilizer to encourage new growth. The lawn should then be watered thoroughly to settle the soil and activate the fertilizer, and normal mowing height should only be resumed once the grass shows clear signs of recovery.