Mossy lawns
During the winter moss appears to grow in some of our lawns and take it over. While green and might look right in some locations depending upon the garden one is trying to create often moss is a weed that many gardeners dread.
Growth of moss is caused by up to factors. Excess soil moisture, compaction, thatch and low fertility.
Good drainage helps control moss growth. Proper construction of new lawns will alleviate drainage problems. Ensure that a good sandy loam soil is used. Soil with a high clay particle content will not be good for drainage. Moisture in the soil needs to drain through with the natural use of gravity. That means there must be airspaces between the soil particles. It is a bit like comparing a bucket of tennis balls with a bucket of marbles. There is more air space between the tennis balls than between the marbles.
To relive compaction try aerating the lawn by using a garden fork to make a series of holes in the lawn and moving it to break up the soil structure. Push the fork into the ground and move it backwards and forwards gently but firmly until the soil appears to be loose. It will not take long for you to observe that this motion is working. There is the distinct possibility that the lawn might lift a little. This is normal as many feet have walked over the lawn squashing it down.
Thatch is that layer of dead spongy material in lawns that is made up of dead part of the grass plants. Dead leaves, dead roots and old grass clippings. With a large lawn it might be wise to get a professional to come in with a dethatching machine to remove the material. In small lawns some physical exercise with a rake will keep you fit and get rid of the thatch. Rake the lawn hard down to the soil and remove the thatch to the surface. Use a lawn mower to collect it up.
Low fertility can be corrected by the application of a balanced fertiliser for lawns. These can be easily purchased. However it is little good spending a lot of money on fertiliser if there is poor drainage, lots of thatch or excessive compaction.
For best results in removing mulch it will be a combination of two or move or the four factors that needs to be corrected. Regular work on the lawn will reduce the massive effort that might be required if all four factors need to be corrected at once.
Growth of moss is caused by up to factors. Excess soil moisture, compaction, thatch and low fertility.
Good drainage helps control moss growth. Proper construction of new lawns will alleviate drainage problems. Ensure that a good sandy loam soil is used. Soil with a high clay particle content will not be good for drainage. Moisture in the soil needs to drain through with the natural use of gravity. That means there must be airspaces between the soil particles. It is a bit like comparing a bucket of tennis balls with a bucket of marbles. There is more air space between the tennis balls than between the marbles.
To relive compaction try aerating the lawn by using a garden fork to make a series of holes in the lawn and moving it to break up the soil structure. Push the fork into the ground and move it backwards and forwards gently but firmly until the soil appears to be loose. It will not take long for you to observe that this motion is working. There is the distinct possibility that the lawn might lift a little. This is normal as many feet have walked over the lawn squashing it down.
Thatch is that layer of dead spongy material in lawns that is made up of dead part of the grass plants. Dead leaves, dead roots and old grass clippings. With a large lawn it might be wise to get a professional to come in with a dethatching machine to remove the material. In small lawns some physical exercise with a rake will keep you fit and get rid of the thatch. Rake the lawn hard down to the soil and remove the thatch to the surface. Use a lawn mower to collect it up.
Low fertility can be corrected by the application of a balanced fertiliser for lawns. These can be easily purchased. However it is little good spending a lot of money on fertiliser if there is poor drainage, lots of thatch or excessive compaction.
For best results in removing mulch it will be a combination of two or move or the four factors that needs to be corrected. Regular work on the lawn will reduce the massive effort that might be required if all four factors need to be corrected at once.