Lawn Diary
January (Winter months) Its time to tackle moss in your lawn.
If the conditions in your lawn aren’t perfect, and they rarely are you may have a moss problem. In other words the natural balance in your lawn is towards moss and away from grass. Without any intervention the problem may get worse and, in some cases so bad that you have all moss and no grass!
If you want a decent lawn then you need to help the grass and NOT help the moss – it’s LAWN CARE vs LAWN MOSS!
There are three main causes of moss in lawns:
Lawn care practices:
Scalping the lawn by mowing too close
Scalping high points because of a bumpy lawn
Infrequent grass cutting
Not following the ‘one third rule’ for mowing
Not aerating heavily used or compacted areas
Poor or inadequate use of fertiliser products
Not repairing damage from heavy use
Not removing leaves in autumn
Not removing excess thatch
‘Local’ environmental factors:
Shady lawns
Clay soils or poor drainage
Poor air circulation and heavy dew
Dry areas such as lawn edges
North facing lawns
Acidic soil
Climatic factors:
Ideal conditions for moss growth:
Wet climate (the West Country is usually wetter than the east)
Excess rainfall – 2006, 2007, 2008
Cloudy cool summers 2007, 2008 & 2009
Poor conditions for grass growth:
Long hot summers 2003, 2004, 2006
Dry summers 2010
Cold dry spring 2010
As can be seen from the above, moss can grow in your lawn in quite a wide variety of conditions. The more suitable the conditions however, does not always mean more moss because lawn care practices can have the greater influence. A lawn scalped once a month with dull blades may well have moss even if it’s in a sunny dry location! The reverse may be true for a well cared for slightly shady lawn.
Therefore, a lawn in an ideal environment with good lawn care practices will have little or no moss. The fact of the matter is that in this situation the grass thrives and the moss doesn’t get a look in. It is only when conditions turn against the grass such as permanent shade or mowing abuse that the grass is weakened and allows moss to take a hold.
It is no different for you. Have a few sleepless nights, over do the wine, boss on your back, over worked, stressed out and you soon feel out of sorts. And when you’re run down your health suffers and quite possibly you go and catch a cold! Not a lot different from your lawn catching moss!
Therefore, looking after your lawn, just like your health, is the most important thing in the war against moss.