March madness moss control

Moss Control on Turf and 5 Ways to Beat It

Moss is a common issue in UK turf, if this is in lawns or sports surfaces. Moss loves damp, mild conditions and in recent years our autumn and winter weather just lands us with more and more of it!. How can we gain adequate control of moss?

Here’s my  five best methods of control.

1-Mowing

It may not be top of the list at this time of year, but moss is an invasive plant which enjoys damp conditions. This means that if your grass is being left too long, the base of your lawn could well be remaining damp for long periods, and suiting the development of moss. At the other end of the spectrum, if you are mowing at your summer height of cut, this is likely to be a source of stress for your lawn.

2-Nutrition

Turf needs nutrition all year around, lawns; require very little amounts of nitrogen through the winter months to help with healthy growth. This is only one element which your lawn needs to maintain its strength.

Keeping a healthy grass cover through the relevant annual fertiliser applications assists with the vigour of the grass, and controls moss at the same time.

3-Reduce Thatch

Thatch is the term given to dead matter found between the soil and the grass plants, made up of dead leaves, roots and stems. It is naturally produced, decomposing material. Thatch is healthy to a lawn up to a point where it becomes problematic for healthy grass growth.

Thatch often spends in winter sat damp, and as we know this then becomes a lovely home to moss by the time we reach late-autumn / early-winter.

Moss is often the symptom with thatch the cause. If thatch builds up it is an issue, increasing the frequency and intensity of scarification is advisable.

4and 5-Reduce Compaction and Improve Surface Drainage

If water isn’t moving through the soil surface it could suggest that there is a soil compaction problem, or a deeper drainage issue. The process of aeration opens air pockets deeper into the soil, providing passages for water, fertilizer, air and root growth. Moving water away from the surface is a must to reduce moss and as a preventative to disease issues over summer months such as red thread.

In Summary

Moss is a constant threat in not only lawns but all turf surfaces when conditions allow. Having worked on  lawns, the combination of next to no thatch, good light levels, mowing and brushing where possible and not forgetting about nutrition combats moss throughout winter months incredibly well.

Our Lawn Care Treatment Programme, when working in partnership with our clients does an excellent job in limiting the moss development which is possible within our lawns. When a lawn has been left without care for some time then mechanical work of scarification, aeration and overseeding at the correct intensity is the usual method for lawns which are really suffering where moss has been choking the grass coverage for some time.