With the cold, damp conditions that autumn and winter bring, moss can become a common problem in gardens. As well as being unsightly, moss can cause hard surfaces such as paths, patios, drives and artificial sports turf to become slippery and dangerous. If left untreated, moss can quickly take over grass and leave an unattractive, spongey surface. The technical team have provided a few tips to help you prevent and remove moss in your garden.
Tip 1: Keep areas clear of objects and debris and allow water to drain freely.
Sweep or wash your patio, path or driveway where possible to encourage water to drain freely. Look to apply a preventative, low dose application of a moss killer (such as Sapphire) as moss spores may be present but not visible. Old fashioned elbow grease and a stiff brush will remove moss, algae and mould; however, this will not completely clean the hard surface, remove stains or control any moss re-growth. The only way to do all this is to use a moss killer. It is vital that a treatment is used after any manual moss removal as the spores may have been spread during the process.
Tip 2: Remove moss from grass in autumn.
As moss suppresses the growth of grass, it is vital that the moss is removed during autumn to encourage better grass growth in the spring. In early autumn apply a fertiliser and moss killer (such as Nutrigrow Mosstop or Greenforce Weed, Feed & Moss Killer) and when the moss has browned or blackened, scarify the lawn to remove it. When you are certain the moss has been removed, sow new grass seed on the bare soil areas the moss removal has left.
Tip 3: Help the grass and not the moss!
Poor lawn maintenance alongside growing and weather conditions are often the most common causes of moss problems in grass. Good lawn practises as well as ideal growing conditions will inevitably lead to little or no moss. Encouraging gentle grass growth by using a fertiliser (such as the Nutrigrow Autumn Fertiliser) and undertaking regular lawn maintenance will help prepare you grass for winter and hopefully (fingers crossed) prevent moss growth.
If you have any questions about moss and its removal, please get in touch.
The Agrigem Technical Team
