Moss, should it be taken out or left?
It can be difficult to know who to listen to and what to believe, dont panic Yorkshire Garden Designer is here to balance up the arguements…for that temperamental moss.
Leave?
Moss in the lawn – is it the bane of your life or could it be telling you something helpful? If you’re thinking of getting the moss killer out and applying it to your lawn this weekend, stop and give me 2 minutes in which to tell you what the moss is telling you and how you can use this information.
Using moss killer by itself will never solve the long term problem.
So you might as well save your money and leave the bottle in the shop.
Moss grows in damp conditions. This might come as no surprise to you, given the conditions of your garden or you might not believe me if your moss in growing on a slope or on soil that drains well but it’s true.
You’ve got damp conditions
So if you’ve got moss in your lawn, it means that you’ve given it the right conditions for it to grow in which is the existence of a layer of compacted soil. What you probably don’t know, is that the layer of compacted soil does not have to be deep or extensive in order for natural drainage to be interrupted and impeded.
Just think of all the things that happen on the lawn that add to the compaction of the top layer of soil – even the falling of the rain helps to compound compaction. So it is inevitable that there is a layer of compacted soil right on the surface of the lawn, which does not allow natural drainage after rain or watering, and creates an excellent environment for the moss to grow in.
Easy to sort out.
The good news is that it takes no specialist equipment or chemicals to rectify this situation. Firstly get a rake and go over the lawn, taking out the dead and loose debris. This process is best done in the autumn. Secondly, get a garden fork and go over the lawn, sticking the fork into the turf at regular intervals, as deeply as you can go. The goal here is to break through the compacted top layer of soil and improve the drainage. You can then brush sand into the holes to keep them open for longer or you can just leave them.
Don’t waste your money
The upshot of today’s blog is to let you know that moss will never go away and stay away unless you get rid of the conditions it likes to live in and that is best done by improving the drainage. Once that has been done, you can either use moss killer or you can let nature take its course. Having got rid of the underlying conditionss moss likes, read up on what the next steps should be to create the sort of lawn you want.
Remain?
Alternatively, you could just accept that there is moss in the lawn, especially if you’re not aiming for the perfect Wimbledon style lawn. Although you don’t want an entire lawn of moss, when in combination with other plants, it is fresh, green and tranquil to look at and that is all most people usually want from their lawns.
Have a go this weekend
Have a look at your lawn this weekend and make a decision about your moss – in or out?
If you’d like to email me with any questions click here and I’m very happy to help you if I can.
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If you would like to talk the garden through with someone who is knowledgeable, experienced and objective get in touch by ringing 01904 623 343 for more information about our 2 levels of FIXED PRICE garden packages. Click here to visit our contact page.
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