At a loss about lawn moss?
LAWN moss can be a major problem and it thrives in areas with poor drainage and weak grass. Its prevalence can be caused by mowing too tightly and over-use of the grassed area, as well as compacted soil, an undernourished lawn and insufficient aeration.
Start taking action against moss in spring, which is the ideal time to get rid of, or kill it, then feed the grass so it is strong enough to fight back.
Raking out the moss, also called scarifying, is a good workout for you and also helps remove other dead plant material at the base of the grass blades, improving ventilation and letting in the rain. This is also a good time to aerate the lawn by driving the tines of a garden fork into areas prone to compaction or waterlogging.
You can also get rid of the moss with killer, such as Maxicrop Moss Killer or a product combined with grass feed. Alternatively, try an organic product such as MO Bacter, Neudorff Organic CleanLawn and Miracle-Gro Evergreen No Rake.
I am trying the MO Bacter, which I trialled in the autumn, but am hoping to have more quantifiable results now as the weather is more favourable. It takes around 12 weeks to show any results and I will keep you posted. Always follow the instructions on the mosskiller packet and never overuse.
Raked moss can be added to the compost heap if mixed in well. Also keep some to line hanging baskets, and leave some out in a quiet spot for nesting birds to collect and use.