Thatch
- thatch is the build up of organic material (primarily old clippings) that does not decompose fast enough
- remove it as soon as possible
- cut your lawn as short as possible in the Fall, so thatch is less likely to exist come Spring
- get a good thatch rake to remove it - a basic rake will work, but supposedly not as well (assuming your yard is small enough - I have .25 acres, and it simply requires a strong back and a dumb mind - for bigger yards there is a motorized dethatcher)
- the longer you wait to cut your yard, the more thatch you are likely to accumulate
- It is also much, much easier to remove thatch when the grass is a little wet
Aerating
- aerating is the process of poking holes (or even pulling small plugs up) to ensure that moisture gets down to the roots of your grass
- heavy used areas need to be aerated at least twice a year
- if you have a location that is soggy and/or does not drain well, it needs to be aerated
- the consensus seems to be that aerating needs to be done at least twice a year to your yard - just the poking of holes, the small-plug method seems to be for only the more frequented areas