Problem with Moss in Your Lawn

The United Kingdom is great place for moss to thrive; it can be found virtually anywhere; stone, trees and is a considerable problem in many established lawns.

Moss is from one of the least complicated groups of the plant kingdom – Bryophyta of which there are over 500 species that occur naturally in the UK. If you have moss in your lawn it is likely you are not caring for your lawn.

It usually assumed that if your lawn has a moss problem is a because your lawn is waterlogged, capped and acidic. However moss can survive well in all sorts of soil conditions.

By caring for your lawn with fertilizer, providing good drainage and strong grass plants, moss can be successfully eradicated.  There are many causes for moss in your lawn.

  • Poor drainage
  • Bare patches
  • Diseased turf
  • Poor nutrients in your soil
  • Shade
  • Acidic soil

Wherever moss can find a space it will invade and compete with your grass, a strong healthy lawn is the only way to stop moss invasion.

Sulphate of Iron or Ferrous Sulphate will kill moss and is relatively cheap. Removing moss from your lawn can be hard work but it is worth it in the end:

  • Measure the area of your lawn and calculate the amount of Sulpahte of Iron your require and mix with the correct amount of water.  Application rates are on the bag
  • Water the whole of your lawn with the Sulpahte of Iron mixture
  • Within 48 hours the moss will turn black, indicating that it is dead
  • Dead moss should then be scarified out of the lawn
  • Oversow your lawn with fresh lawn seed at an at least 25g per m2

Once moss has been controlled unless the source of the problem is managed moss will return.  Always oversow the eradicated areas with fresh grass seed, to out compete the moss.

By feeding your lawn with a lawn fertilizer such as Spring Rise, Autumn Feed or Turf Rise it will encourge strong grass growth and help keep moss at bay. 

It may be useful to check the pH of your soil as too acidic a soil can encourage moss growth.  We sell soil testing kits that are easy to use for testing pH, N, P & K levels.

Please see below for links to products mentioned above:

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us on 01259 760400.