What is the best way to get rid of moss?
Every year about now I start getting endless moss in the lawn, always along the fences and up against the house. What the best way to get rid of it?
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Moss is always the result of the conditions. It normally shows up in damp and shaded areas, and compacted, boggy soil contributes to it. Killing the moss without fixing the underlying issue and it'll just come back.
NZLA Moss at 200 mL per 10 L of water, sprayed over the affected areas. You need a high water volume so the product gets right down onto the moss at soil level, not sitting up on the leaf canopy, a lot of people get confused by the high water volume.
Pull some cores through the affected area if you can, just to open it up and let it breathe. NZLA Aerator is good for this if you have one.
Cut back any trees or branches blocking sun over the winter months. I removed a whole tree because of this in one part of my lawn. The missus was not very happy.
Mowing height matters too. Shorter turf thins out, and a bit more canopy helps with coverage. For ryegrass that's 40 to 60 mm over winter.
Make sure you're not still following your summer irrigation plan. I'm in Christchurch and my irrigation's down to once a week now. Stay on a summer schedule and you're putting too much water on, which keeps the soil damp for longer and leads to anaerobic soil, perfect for moss.
Sometimes you can do all the bits and pieces you want, but if you've got fence lines causing shade, you can either extend the garden beds or accept it and put down more seed in spring. That's what I've got to do with a couple of patches in my own garden as the sun is lower over winter. and they don't get any sun.
NZLA Penetrate is a great product for moving moisture away from the top part of the soil profile, you'll find that will also help, it won't cure it but it will help it coming back after applying NZLA Moss and Aerating, leaving the lawn longer etc.
Good advice @Jonny Hicks, my moss is also starting to comeback. Unfortunately I have a 3m retaining wall in the northern side which can’t be moved 🤣. I have so very little soil in the clay, so aerating every year is starting to help and the french drain is also helping.
If you core aerate don’t you still have the issue that 10cm in you still just have a clay table? Photo taken 3 weeks ago, after the Reno. Looking better now.
@George A Jeez you're keen growing grass down there, looks like a gravel job to me! Limited sun a pain of a spot to mow.
@Jonny Hicks and in summer it dries out, since it gets direct sun and sun reflecting from the house. Suggestion on HOC for winter and summer with ETF?
My house has been cut into the hill and where the brass is, is 2-3m below ground level, so pure clay. My neighbour just built a house and I saw how much soil the carted away.
I already have lime chip in some of the places, but want some grass for the little ones to run on. I’m determined to make it work. Haha