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   Article on tips and advice on Lawncare: 

Manage your lawn to promote the finer grasses and discourage moss.

 Previously we looked at eradicating moss with the use of Sulphate of Iron and removal by scarification,
now lets look at some of the reasons why it is in your lawn and how to implement some management 
techniques to discourage it.
 There are many reasons why moss is an invader of lawns although it never kills grass itself but out
competes it where conditions that favour its growth over grass are predominant.
 
   : It may seem that it is just there over the winter/early spring period as during this time the grass is not
growing a lot if any at all so there is less competition and moss comes to the fore but with the start of
growth in mid spring and an early application of fertilizer the grass grows through and the moss is less
noticeable. Yes! only less noticeable it's still there but now hidden from view.
You may have used a nitrogen based fertiliser which contained iron most commonly 2-2.5% FE, which
will have had only a small impact on the moss. Seperate the moss control from your normal fertilizer
regime and see it as a different operation.

   : Below surface soil condition are poor, compacted wet soil,poor soil with a large clay/silt content or to
rich like a black loam which is ideal for borders or planting vegetables but to rich if your looking to keep a
fine firm lawn. Not everybody has a free fine draining 80/20 sandy/sandy loam topsoil, but undertaking a
programme of aeration (scarifying,spiking,coring) will promote a free and well aerated rootzone which will
encourage a stronger deeper healthier rooting grasscover.
Its an old saying if you stir the soil with a stick it comes alive.

   :  Scalping by cutting to close or because of an uneven surface. Raise your height of cut in mid to late
autumn and only lower when there is good growth from early May onwards. Lawns can suffer a lack
of density of grass and as moss prevails where the grass cover is very thin to discourage it carry out
overseeding where required to increase the thickness of the sward, use only a fescue/bent mix 
a must if you are looking to promote a fine closely mown lawn.

    :  Shaded areas are very susceptible to moss, a lack of sunlight, poor air circulation and cooler 
temperature are all factors in this and these areas do require an increase in aeration to improve air/water
movement into the rootzone.

     : Plan a well balanced fertilizer programme using a slow release low nitogen based product which
will result in slow growth over a period of time. Try to move away from the Feed and Weed 4 times
a year that you continually hear of. It encourages to much lush growth and with it comes an extra
build up of unpicked up cuttings which causes a build of thatch at the surface leading to soft surface,
mower scalping and an ingress again of more moss.

 If your mainly looking at discouraging moss without undertaking too much added time, and a
finer firmer lawn is not what your looking for but are more concerned with controlling moss.
 A basic programme would involve applying Sulphate of Iron by Lawn sand or spayer in mid/late
March following up by scarifying 7 days later and overseeding any thin areas. Raise the height of cut               
from the previous year and keep cutting at this height apart from times of strong growth.
 Scarify again in late August- early September before growth slows down to much and overseed
any weak areas before raising the height of cut again in late September.
Apply Sulphate of Iron(ferrous sulphate) in Late October/ early November.

Next  OVERSEEDING