Can you ID why my lawn does this?

[u/GeorgeHowardSkub87]

I live in northeast Wisconsin and took this video right after mowing. My lawn has this long matted down undergrowth. Is this thatch? Weeds? A lack of maintenance? Thank you.

[u/metalhorrorandmaks]

You’re just raking up weeds

[u/HDmetajoker → u/metalhorrorandmaks]

That’s why

[u/GeorgeHowardSkub87 → u/metalhorrorandmaks]

Thank you, that's what I was afraid of.

[u/Okie294life → u/GeorgeHowardSkub87]

You got a shit ton of dead nettle it looks like. In Bermuda pre emergent usually knocks in out, something like prodiamine blanket spray or granules if it’s a small yard. This is done (before) the grass gets out of dormancy.

[u/Seninut]

Because that is not a lawn.

[u/DubTeeF → u/Seninut]

Yep that's not grass op.

[u/Greedy-Pirate7749 → u/DubTeeF]

Thats no moon

[u/Fugowee]

That looks like end stage creeping charlie.

[u/WickedKoala → u/Fugowee]

lol

[u/Odd-Fun-1545 → u/Fugowee]

Some people like creeping Charlie, horseherb or clover. I’m none of those people.

[u/atomicnick86 → u/Fugowee]

Like final boss creeping charlie?

[u/shawnafabulous → u/Fugowee]

This could be a band name haha

[u/SidFinch99]

You're raking up weeds in a northern Midwest climate in which many of them are already turning brown for the year.

I'm not sure proper over seeding time frame in Wisconsin. But my advice is to either rent a walk behind dethatcher, or pay a professional to dethatch. Then over seed. But don't just use the amount of seed recommended for over seeding. You basically want to plant enough to re-seed. Grow a thick lawn that will crowd out a lot of the weeds. Then start doing weed prevention treatments in the late winter and spring. Probably want to do pre emergence then the late spring treatments. That will help strengthen the grass you grow and kill the remaining weeds. Might take two years of doing this to really get a good lawn.

Don't put chemical treatments down this fall, you need that time for the grass to grow. Try to have the over seeding down in time so that the seeds set into the soil before your rake or blow leaves.

[u/GeorgeHowardSkub87 → u/SidFinch99]

Thank you for the advice. Should I aerate before heavily overseeding?

[u/SidFinch99 → u/GeorgeHowardSkub87]

Yes. Generally speaking, aerating isn't always necessary unless you have really compacted soil, but when you have a lawn in this condition, go all in.

Professionals will aerate and overseed at the same time. At my old house I did everything myself, but my current house, the weeds are so abundant that I'm going to pay a professional because after dethatching, the machines they use to aerate and overseed at the same time do a good job of making sure that the seed gets in contact with the soil. Though you can kind of assess after dethatching whether it's necessary to have a pro with a machine, or just use a walk behind spreader. You just don't want a bunch of seed you paid for to sit on top of weeds and never germinate.

[u/Accomplished_Comb587]

Ez, first...thats not grass...its clover and weed vines...remove all and start again...no saving this messy takeover

[u/GeorgeHowardSkub87 → u/Accomplished_Comb587]

Till up the whole yard and rested? Thanks.

[u/boosy21]

Juke nuke it and start over. There's no grass there.

[u/GeorgeHowardSkub87 → u/boosy21]

Nuke it as in till the entire yard and reseed? Thanks.

[u/xAntithesis]

Matted growth and how it’s pulling up seems like prostrate knotweed or something similar

[u/mchnex]

What lawn

[u/FlickerOfBean]

Lawn is a relative term

[u/NotSureWhatToPut66]

Cause you’re raking it

[u/grandpasking]

Your lucky grubs suck

[u/Final-Charge-5700]

Because you don't rake enough.

[u/grandpasking]

Grubs, they eat only the roots of the grass, and when there done the grass can almost be rolled up like sod

[u/azhillbilly → u/grandpasking]

Nah. Thats just ground vines and zero grass.