 |
The Gardener's Almanac |  |
||||
| Index | FAQ's | Links | Photos | Guest book | ||
| Lawn moss |
|
|
How to avoid a mossy lawn;
Moss in your lawn is generally a result of poor growing conditions such as low fertility, compaction, over-acidity, poor drainage and / or excessive shade.
Listed below are a number of causes & solutions to some common problems
Moss control
Circa Week 20; use a moss control based on ferrous sulphate (sulphate of iron).
Treated areas should be scarified two weeks after application of moss control
Impoverished soil;
Moss can thrive on poor soil as it needs less nutrients than grass.
To remedy this, apply a lawn or general fertiliser in the spring or summer.
Do not apply a high nitrogen fertiliser in late autumn as this will encourage lush grass growth that may be vulnerable to frost and diseases.
Poor drainage;
Moss needs moisture to reproduce, and thrives in damp places whereas lawn grasses wont tolerate very wet conditions
Spike the lawn to improve drainage. Use a lawn rake to remove the thatch of dead grass and moss.
Soil too acid;
Some kinds of moss prefer an acid soil, as do some of the finer lawn grasses.
Check the soil pH, and apply ground chalk or ground limestone or an alkaline fertiliser such as Nitro-chalk.
Do not overdo it or you may encourage weeds and grass diseases.
Compacted or badly aerated soil;
Grass takes in air, water and nutrients through its roots, so to remain healthy it needs a good soil structure, moss roots are merely for anchorage so it can tolerate compacted soil.
Spike the lawn to increase aeration and don't use a heavy roller.
Top-dressing with a mixture of sand, peat and loam will improve the surface structure after spiking.
Grass kept too long;
Lawns made of coarser grasses may be cut long 25mm (1” ) or more, this provides ideal conditions for trailing types of moss.
Reduce the cutting height of your mower, and mow more frequently.
Finer lawn grasses are more able to withstand close mowing.
Grass kept too short;
Finer lawn grasses are usually cut very short and this encourages cushion-forming mosses, 'scalping' will damage the grass and allow moss to spread.
Use a cutting height of 13 to 20mm for finer grasses.
Too much shade;
Mosses need less light than grasses and the damp conditions associated with shade also suits them.
Prune overhanging trees and shrubs and remove tall hedges.
Too many weeds or pests;
Weeds compete with grass, pests damage the roots, so anything that weakens the grass will give moss a chance to spread.
Use a lawn sand or a lawn weed killer to keep weeds at bay or a soil insecticide for pests.
Do not walk on lawns when they are frozen.
About this Site © The Gardener's Almanac 2005 Top of page