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Newbie Question on Moss
quarkrad
Posts: 23
Sorry for basic question. I have quite a lot of moss on lawn and recently put down some moss remover/killer. Within a day I have dark patches so seems to be working. In some parts of lawn the new (and old) moss is quite thick. Should I remove dark patches with rake as much as I can?
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Thank you all for your comments. From what you have said, and little I have read, one of my key problems seems to be ground compactness (in certain parts). I need to rake off the dead moss I have (now) got and get out there with a fork and aerate the whole area. Some parts of the lawn hardly grows - others grow quite well so this looks to be pointing at this breathing problem. Appreciate your time.
That'll do it quarkrad. Brushing sharp sand into the holes made by forking will help with drainage. Scarifying it fairly regularly will remove moss and expose the soil beneath and you can seed those bare areas in spring. If the lawn is shaded at all, using a shade-tolerant grass seed mix will help. Those usually include a couple of fescue species (which have low light tolerance) and a bentgrass species (which cope better with damp areas such as is often found on clay soils.)
When you have forked the soil you can improve compaction by brushing in some compost and, if you have clay soil, some grit. ( Not sand) It will look fairly grotty for a week or so but do not be afraid, you will quickly see an improvement. Some compacted soils are short on nutrients so feeding once growth starts can help as well. Strong healthy grass will compete more successfully with the moss.
A supplementary question if I may. I am currently reading about thatching rakes – they look to be what I need, not specifically for the moss but the lawn in general. However, I do have an electric scarifier. Last summer I treated the lawn with a multi-purpose feed and got the same black patches re killed moss. I got a fare bit of dead moss/other bits and pieces using the scarifier but I think I did not have the scarifier blades low enough (what is low enough?). Should I by a thatch rake or do I not need it re the scarifier?
Sorry - not sure on this one. Do I buy a thatching rake or will the scarifier do as good a job?
It's my understanding the electric ones rip out all the thatch and moss so you wouldn't need both. The scarifiers also open up the lawn to let air in, but I think it can look a bit scary when you've done it!
My grass always looks a bit rubbish in winter but a weed and feed in spring, regular mowing and a bit of a spike now and again has it looking pretty good. It does depend how perfect a lawn you want, as has been said. Mine won't win any prizes but it looks nice and healthy through the main part of the year.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
How big is the lawn? If it's small, a rake will do the job quickly and cheaply, just buy a good quality lawn rake and it will last for years. If raking would take more time or energy than you wish to spend on it, an electric one is a godsend. Most lawns have some moss: if you are tearing out loads of grass, the tines may well be too low, but it's amazing how much thatch and moss a happy lawn produces. Another consideration is the level of perfection you desire. I have some weedy, mossy grass, a bloke in the village has a work of art - a little patch of living velvet. You will have to decide for yourself on this!