This Spring, convert thatch into better turf performanceÂ
Thatch is an intermingled layer of living and dead plant material that accumulates when organic matter is produced faster than it can be decomposed. Over time, excessive thatch can restrict rooting, create soft and puffy playing surfaces, reduce infiltration, and promote conditions favourable for pests and diseases.Â
Looking Beyond Thatch Reduction
The real value of a successful thatch management program is not simply reducing thatch. It is what that process does to improve turf health and resilience through a functional rhizosphere.Â
Research has shown that the primary barrier to thatch decomposition is lignin, a highly resistant compound that is difficult for microbes to degrade. ThatchZyme contains laccase, an enzyme proven to break down this lignin barrier, allowing naturally occurring soil microbes to access and decompose the organic matter beneath.  As lacasse does its job other key ingredients in ThatchZyme stimulate the humification process.Â
As the thatch layer breaks down, two important processes occur:Â
1. Increased Macroporosity
The biological breakdown of thatch creates larger pore spaces and channels at the thatch-soil interface, an area known as the  macrosphere. Increased macroporosity improves the movement of water and air through the profile, restoring connectivity between the soil surface and the rhizosphere. Improved oxygen diffusion and moisture infiltration create a healthier environment for root growth, reducing the likelihood of saturated surface conditions. Â
2. Humification
Microbes transform decomposed thatch material into stable humic compounds that improve soil aggregation, cation exchange capacity, and water-holding characteristics. The process of converting thatch into stable organic matter is called humification. Carbon becomes redistributed deeper within the profile where it contributes to rootzone function.Â
Why Apply in Spring?
By addressing the lignin barrier and encouraging natural decomposition, turf managers can begin converting excess thatch from a liability into a beneficial component of the rootzone.
The Result: Turning Thatch into performance
The end goal is not just less thatch. It is a rootzone with greater macroporosity, improved water movement, stronger rooting and more stable organic matter.Â
When that happens, the benefits become visible across the entire turf system:
√ Improved infiltration and moisture distribution
√ Better oxygen movement into the rootzone
√ Stronger and deeper root development
√ Firmer, more consistent playing surfaces
√ Reduced habitat for many thatch-associated pests and diseasesÂ
Maximising Results through a Complete ProgramÂ
For best results, integrate ThatchZyme into a program alongside with MP Superior liquids such as MP Foundation and MP Promote. Together, they create a complementary approach that supports biological thatch breakdown and maximises the conversion of thatch into functional organic matter, improving infiltration, rooting, surface firmness and overall turf performance.Â
Contact your Living Turf Tech Rep with any queries, for more information and to help develop a ThatchZyme program.Â