Moss, often seen as a persistent nuisance in garden lawns, can overshadow the grass with its uneven and spongy texture, leading to dead patches during the warmer months.
However, before resorting to harsh chemical treatments, experts from the Lawn Association suggest a gentler approach – scarifying.
This method is not only said to revitalise your lawn but also promotes stronger growth. The technique is even endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), which recommends scarifying during autumn for quick recovery due to the mild and damp conditions.
Scarifying helps prevent further moss by removing the thatch layer, a build-up of organic matter under the grass that hinders water and nutrient delivery to the roots. It also improves aeration, allowing air and water to move freely within the soil.
The Lawn Association experts elaborated: “When it comes to scarification, you are effectively pruning your lawn.”
They added: “Through this procedure, you are not trying to dominate nature, but instead, giving it a helping hand to work at its best by controlling the thatch, which in turn will probably mean you never have moss.”
The Lawn Association has provided some expert advice for those wanting to maintain a lush garden, adding: “By regularly aerating your lawn, you allow rainwater to run down into the soil and away from the surface, giving the moss spores less chance to germinate.”
For a greener and denser turf, they recommend initially cutting the grass shorter, then removing the troublesome moss with either a spring-tined rake or by powering up a mechanical scarifier.
To identify areas needing attention, create crisp back and forth lines on the lawn and look for bald spots that need seeding, reports the Express.
For adding toughness to your turf, apply a robust autumn lawn feed, preferring ones rich in potassium and phosphorus to encourage strong root development. Following the feeding, distribute seeds over any patchy areas to ensure a full recovery.
Gardening experts concur that raking well before the winter sets in can contribute to a more sumptuous and drought-hardy lawn.