Rolling stone appears to be gathering plenty moss
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Rolling stone appears to be gathering plenty moss
Just got back to Scotland after 3 months away, took a walk down the strip and its about 30% covered in moss intermingled with the grass, in large circular patches dotted throughout the strip. The strip was sown about 5 years ago and has never had moss before, I noticed lots of geese gathered on it over the last year but am not sure if this is the cause. Either way I want rid of it and don't want it coming back. Anyone any ideas or has seen this before?
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moss is a sign of acidic soil. It grows where the grass struggles, it doesn't overtake a healthy lawn. To make soil more alkaline you can use wood ash. Just spread it around all over the place. Then you need to have a look why is your grass struggling. Most likely your soil is too compacted and roots are not getting any oxygen.. or your drainage is poor. See if your local hardware store have something like this:
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Interesting, I have one of these but haven't used it this year, normally I do it a few times a year.
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Moss can be an indicator of several things. These include poor soil (nutrition). Moss does not compete with healthy grass. Feed the grass! Poor drainage. Poor light (unlikely on an airstrip but then you are a long way North), acidity - or rather incorrect Ph for good grass. If you were re-sown recently you may have used a grass type unsuitable for your soil.
First you need to identify which of the above (or any other reason) is why it has taken over - easier said than done - and correct it. Then you almost certainly need to spike the ground as said above twice per year. Then mosskill perhaps (Sulphate of Iron is relatively cheap and works a treat) and scarify the drifts of dead moss you'll then accumulate and burn it. And probably keep doing this for a number of years until you're on top of the problem. Overseeding with a more durable grass type might help too.
Moss is tenacious and a real pain to get rid of I'm afraid. It takes a lot of effort and above all a long time to achieve a result. Once sorted you may need to keep repeating the treatment to keep it at bay.
The RHS will have plenty of good technical advice, as will sports pitch care websites. Perhaps first best to try asking groundsmen at your local sports fields/golf clubs, they should have good skills in this as well as local knowledge. (and maybe the tools available).
Seaweed extract sprayed on my lawn worked wonders but none of these remedies works in isolation, you'll need to attack on several fronts to make headway.
First you need to identify which of the above (or any other reason) is why it has taken over - easier said than done - and correct it. Then you almost certainly need to spike the ground as said above twice per year. Then mosskill perhaps (Sulphate of Iron is relatively cheap and works a treat) and scarify the drifts of dead moss you'll then accumulate and burn it. And probably keep doing this for a number of years until you're on top of the problem. Overseeding with a more durable grass type might help too.
Moss is tenacious and a real pain to get rid of I'm afraid. It takes a lot of effort and above all a long time to achieve a result. Once sorted you may need to keep repeating the treatment to keep it at bay.
The RHS will have plenty of good technical advice, as will sports pitch care websites. Perhaps first best to try asking groundsmen at your local sports fields/golf clubs, they should have good skills in this as well as local knowledge. (and maybe the tools available).
Seaweed extract sprayed on my lawn worked wonders but none of these remedies works in isolation, you'll need to attack on several fronts to make headway.
Last edited by noflynomore; 13th Dec 2016 at 17:04.
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Meldex, not even close, I have a farm but from the age of 18 till retirement I ran a telecom company in Los Angeles, I religously watch Countryfile while being on receiving end of an incessant string of mocking comments like "look ! thats how your'e supposed to do it ya moron" from the other half.
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Horizon Flyer- If the cornering performance of my lawn tractor on a slight slope with damp moss patches the other day is any indicator then probably not a good idea !
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