Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Mechanical straw cleaning
• Method 2 of 2: Manual straw cleaning
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Straw clearance is an essential component of maintaining a healthy lawn. Straw, which is a layer of resistant stems and rhizomes, can prevent nutrients and air from entering the lawn. A lawn with a thick layer of straw is more susceptible to insects and diseases, and also needs more abundant watering and more fertilizer. Straw must be removed if the lawn is more than 2.5 cm thick. This can be done mechanically or manually.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Mechanical straw cleaning

1. 1 Check for straw.
   • Look at the lawn and ask yourself the following questions: Is the lawn green above but brown below? Does it look brown and dead after mowing? When you walk on it, does it spring? If you answered yes, it's time to remove the straw.
   • Use a spatula or knife to remove small pieces of lawn in multiple locations throughout your yard.
   • Measure the straw layer. If it is more than 1 cm, the lawn needs to be cleaned.
2. 2 Pick up the straw at the right time. This should be done in spring or autumn when there is enough moisture in the soil.
   • Water the lawn lightly two days before removing the straw.If you remove straw from a lawn that is too wet or dry, you can damage the soil.
3. 3 Mow the grass in the area to a height of 2.5 cm.
4. 4 Rent a hay machine such as a vertical mower or aerator.
   • The vertical mower cuts the straw layer and lifts it to the surface. After using this machine, there will be a lot of rubbish that will need to be disposed of or used as compost.
   • The aerator removes small pieces of soil from the lawn, which can be removed or left on the lawn for natural compost. If you decide to rent an aerator, ask to adjust the distance between its tines so that they fit your type of lawn. The height of the blade should be about 0.65 cm above a hard, level surface.
5. 5 Walk over the lawn with an aerator or vertical mower in 2 perpendicular lines.
   • For example, cross the entire lawn from north to south and then from east to west. This will break the straw layer.
6. 6 Remove debris from the lawn with a vertical mower or aerator, rake and place in a wheelbarrow for later disposal.
7. 7 Water the lawn thoroughly so that it heals quickly after removing the straw.

Method 2 of 2: Manual straw cleaning

• If you have a small lawn or a not very thick layer of straw, you can manually remove it with a rake.

1. 1 Buy or rent a straw rake.
2. 2 Place the rake with the tines on the lawn and pull it towards you. Put the straw in a wheelbarrow for recycling.
   • Be careful not to pick out large amounts of green grass.

Tips

• A straw remover can be rented from a farm shop. It is heavy, so take care of the transportation. Ask the rental office to help you set the correct depth and tine spacing, depending on the type of lawn you have and the thickness of the straw layer.
• The deeper the layer of straw, the more stress is put on the soil and grass roots during cleaning. As a result, the grass will take longer to recover. Don't expect to admire a beautiful lawn after cleaning. It will take time for the lawn to return to normal.
• Do not fertilize the lawn for 45 days before removing the straw to keep grass growth to a minimum.
• It is best to remove the straw before the main grass growth cycle so that the lawn recovers as quickly as possible.

Warnings

• Do not overuse compost or organic mulch materials.
• Do not use too much nitrogen fertilizer to prevent the straw layer from reappearing. The maximum amount of fertilizer should be 450 g per 93 square meters.
• Do not use too many pesticides on your lawn, as they reduce the number of worms in the soil and beneficial beetles.
• Do not use straw that has been treated with herbicides for composting.

What do you need

• Spatula or knife
• Ruler or tape measure
• Straw Removing Machine
• Straw rake
• Simple rake
• Wheelbarrow