Worm Casts/Sulphate of Iron

Drinda

Hi
I need advice, after the very hot summer my front lawn looked ruff so I raked it, fed it, and overseeded it and the last couple of weeks it looks great until the worms did their worst. I read in the paper that I need to make the lawn more acidic and I was told to use Sulphate of Iron so I bought this today, then I am told that I can harm the grass with it, there is no instructions on the tub it is "J Arthur Bower's". can someone tell me if it is ok to use on grass and how much to use , or if you have a better idea.

Thanking you Drinda.

elsien

Have a look at this - seems to be an ok site , and it says
"Applying sulphate of iron every 4 - 6 weeks at a rate of 8g/m2 should help reduce worm activity resulting in fewer worm casts"
http://www.lawn-craft.co.uk/sulphateofiron.html
I'm guessing it'll only damage the lawn if you go a bit overboard with it.

Lotus-eater

Ironic isn't it, a friend just gave me some "black gold", which is pure worm cast garden fertiliser.
Worms benefit a lawn, by aerating it and leaving behind the plant nutrient rich casts.

You kill or discourage the worms and you are actually making the lawn worse.

Drinda

Thank you elsien for pointing me to lawn-craft, I have only managed to do half the lawn [rain stoped play] but I can see already that side is not as bad as the untreated side.

as for the worms being good for the lawn, they are not good for me, after breaking my back getting the lawn looking really great and then seeing all these large black mounds that look like walnut whips
all over it and then you try to cut it and they are flatterned all over the place even though I had tried to clear up as much as possible.

There is enough room in the borders for the worms.
Thanks again Drinda.

rhiwfield

Drinda wrote: »

Thank you elsien for pointing me to lawn-craft, I have only managed to do half the lawn [rain stoped play] but I can see already that side is not as bad as the untreated side.

as for the worms being good for the lawn, they are not good for me, after breaking my back getting the lawn looking really great and then seeing all these large black mounds that look like walnut whips
all over it and then you try to cut it and they are flatterned all over the place even though I had tried to clear up as much as possible.

There is enough room in the borders for the worms.
Thanks again Drinda.

Worms are the natural way to look after your topsoil, which is what your lawn grass grows in. By acidifying your lawn you will change the PH value of the top layer of soil. Surprise, surprise, you will then find that you encourage plants which prefer acidic soils, like field woodrush.

Sometimes I think that this forum should be renamed nukem

Dustykitten

We have this issue with worms every year and I just leave them be. Yes we get the walnut whips and then the squashed mini pat effect but the birds really benefit from the worms and as our subsoil is quite clayey they help to keep it aerated.

I know it can be frustrating at this time of year but there won't be many cuts left and once the spring and drier weather are here they won't be as much of an issue.

cootambear

blast with a hose?