WITH days set to get longer and warmer over the coming weeks, you might be looking forward to spending some time in your garden.
But before that you’ll have to take care of your lawn – and that means getting rid of moss and weeds.
There are easy tips to get rid of moss in your lawn[/caption]
Moss in a lawn isn’t a massive problem as it’s soft, green, low-growing, low maintenance, and can be trampled on.
It also creates a valuable habitat for beetles and woodlice, is a source of food for caterpillars, and birds use moss from lawns to create their nests.
However, many keen gardeners prefer a more pristine lawn and view moss as a weed.
It can give uneven colour and surface, and loose moss can make a lawn feel spongy underfoot.
And while it’s tempting to cut grass really short in a bid to extend the time between cuts, this creates bald patches that are an open invitation to moss and wild plants.
If your grass is patchy and slow to grow, moss can quickly take over.
Thankfully, banishing moss from lawns is straightforward – although it can be time-consuming and back-breaking.
The team at Gardeners’ World say using a garden fork to ‘spike’ small areas is the easiest way to aerate your lawn and tackle moss.
The add: “Rock the fork backwards and forward to open out the holes.
“Fill the holes with sharp sand so your lawn is honeycombed with lots of drainage channels.”
If you have dead moss known as ‘thatch’ on top of your lawn, you can then scarify this and give your grass room to grow by raking it out in spring using a lawn rake.
But if your moss issue still persists, you may need moss-killing products.
The Gardeners’ World team add: “A wide range of proprietary moss killing products is available to buy and these kill only moss, not grass.
“The best moss killer to apply depends on your personal choice of chemical versus non-chemical product.
“Be aware that many moss killers are chemical-based and may impact wildlife, as well as needing caution if children and pets use the lawn.
“An organic product free from synthetic chemicals is the safest choice.”
