Lawns tend to need a lot of care after summer to stop them drying out, but gardeners also need to watch out for moisture clumping up the grass otherwise it could attract moss. Moss in a spongy menace which can only survive in damp environments, and begins to grow in September once weather gets colder and rainier.
It not only makes gardens a slipping hazard but it also drains nutrients from grass, which can cause lawns to thin out and really struggle once arrives. However, Kate Treen, an expert from Agrigem says preventing moss and getting a healthier lawn is actually simple, as you just need to feed the grass a little iron.
She said: “Iron is a great moss killer for lawns because it lowers the pH of soil to the point where moss is unable to grow and draws out the moisture so mosses dry, turn black, and die. It also feeds the grass to encourage healthy green growth.”
Iron sulphate is one of the best ways to kill moss on lawns as it is a micronutrient that can burn spores, while also dehydrating and smothering so the moss dies quickly without much effort.
While iron is harmful to moss, it is safe for lawns and actually benefits the grass by acting as a mild fertiliser as it plays a key role in the production of chlorophyll, which helps grass produce energy.
Iron will help strengthen the grass blades and roots to help it endure the upcoming colder weather, and will make it more resistant to fungal diseases.
However, one of the best reasons to use iron on your grass it that chlorophyll is what gives grass its colour, so will turn a lawn a deeper and richer green to help a lawn look stunning this autumn.
How to use iron to kill moss and improve a lawn
To begin, you need to find the right moss product for you. Kate highly recommends MossTop, Ferro-Gem Liquid Iron, High-Fe or Feed, Weed and Moss Killer.
Make sure to choose a dry day with no rain expected, otherwise the moss treatment could be washed off the grass. Then all you need to is follow the instructions on the product for application.
The moss should die within a few hours after using iron. Then all you need to so is rake the dead foilage. Be careful when taking not to damage the grass as any bare patches will make your lawn more susceptible to weeds in autumn.
Your lawn should look a lot greener and be moss free within one day. However, it should be noted that moss can only grow in an area with lots of moisture, so your lawn may not be draining properly if it is mossy.
If you want to prevent moss coming back, then you will likely need to aerate and scarify the grass some point soon as it is very common for soil to become compact after summer.