Moss removal - organically

Heedtheadvice

Being in a very clean wet area I get a lot of algae and moss.


Can anybody tell me an organic safe way to rid my lawn of it that involves minimal scarifying?


Moss is a problem in shady areas, sunny areas, well drained areas (and those not so well drained!). The grass grows quite well, especially in moss killed areas ( I do not like usual proprietary solutions such as lawn sand), gets regular feeding, limed every second year or so and, I believe, correct cutting regime (cut grass removed), leaves collected etc., thatch removed twice a year. So can keep moss controlled but not organically....as yet! Grass adjacent to veg plots and flower beds.

suki1964

An idea that is totally out of the box, but has worked for us is:

DUCKS


You only need a small pond or big enough plastic container for them to totally dunk themselves in water

They not only shovel up the moss, they eat the slugs and the larvae of so many bugs and insects that will eat your veg and as long as you net around your veg patch, you shouldn't have problems

We had indian runners, they don't fly so no need to worry about losing them or having to clip the wings. They do poo a lot but its all good for the lawn

Justagardener

Have a look at Mo Bacter. It's worked for me.
some info here...
https://theperfectgarden.co.uk/how-to-get-rid-of-moss-in-lawns/

shortcrust

Justagardener wrote: »

Have a look at Mo Bacter. It's worked for me.

Me too. I also overseeded my lawn with a shade tolerant grass. Healthier grass means less moss.

BestBoy

The best natural way to beat moss is to help your grass suppress it.

I used to work on a property that suffered from huge amounts of lawn moss caused by overly short grass. The grass was kept to ~1cm consistently which allowed the moss to thrive. I insisted that if the grass was left to grow a few times higher it would smother the moss, but he apparently knew best.

I'd also suggest assessing your soils drainage and seeing if aeration tools would be appropriate. If the soil isn't draining, it may be worth breaking up the soil with an aerator or similar equipment, or even using a slitter to improve drainage and encourage root growth of the grass.