Talkback: Moss

lindsayf12

Hi Daphne, can't help with your problem but was interested to read about your tortoise. I have 2 Mediterranean Spur Thighed torts. They are both males in their 50's and frequently fight with one another -don't know any easy way to stop them. Mine go in the back garden where I avoid using sprays, etc. and allow it to be more overgrown because they like it that way, and most other people can't see it! Also have probs. with moss in my front lawn and aren't sucessful in getting rid.

daphnejones

I have a tortoise, over 100 years old, and moss in the lawn. How can I treat the moss without poisoning the tortoise?

PROTREEUK LIMITED

if i was you i would just use a lawn rake to get the moss out, but make sure all of it is out no matter how bad it looks and then cover it with a sandy loam top soil and re-seed. if you cant do the whole lawn at once you can always make a pen to keep the tortoise off the patches you want to grow.

junerose43

hi lindsay, i too have a Mediterranean spur thighed tortoise,female,around 40 years old, she has her own 'ranch' in the garden and i avoid using any sprays in the back garden because of the tortoise(and the chickens!). my front lawn also has moss in it, being partially shaded, and find scarifying twice a year helps a lot, followed by more grass seed. haven't got rid of it completely but maybe persistence is the key(have only lived here for two growing seasons) will keep trying!

rewolfnus

After my peony has finished flowering the leaves get black spots on them. As the season progresses they turn crisp as if scorched by the sun and look positively unhealthy can you help me please thankyou, Arthur hughes

chris BRISLEY

hi, I have just got a new home and the garden is at least 300 years old and the lawn is so full of moss is it possable for the lawn to recover if i rake out all the moss,

Emma Crawforth

Hello Chris,

It would help if you thought about what has caused the moss to be there in the first place. Moss grows on lawns that are wet, badly drained or shaded. Sometimes bad drainage is caused by the soil being compacted. That is why it helps to aerate lawns. This can be done using a machine or even just a fork, continually dug in and removed. Sometimes bad mowing practises will have helped the moss to thrive. If you think your lawn is wet, badly drained or shaded, can you do anything to change the conditions? If so, you have a good chance of growing good grass, where the moss was removed. 

Have a look at Monty's video on lawn renovation:

http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/basics/how-to-improve-your-lawn/179.html

Emma

gardenersworld.com team

Fred Lewis2

moss on drive and garden not on lawn what do I use to rid

schubbs

I have velvet clumps of emerald moss in my pots and troughs. I'm tempted to keep them as I think they may retain moisture and reduce evaporation in hot weather. However, are they doing more harm than good? Should I pull them out?



Sylvie, Orpington

stewart smith

I had serious moss problems with one of my lawns. Last year I took drastic action by airating (spiking), a liberal dose of verdone and a moss killer then mixed two bags top soil two bags cheap compost and a bag of horticultural sharp sand. So far this year there is a bit of moss around the edges but most of the lawn is grass.

Euni

I had a Major problem with moss in my front lawn, chemical treating just did NOT work in the long term.

Bought an electric scarifier, Fantastic. Took me days of walking up and down and emptying the collection box. Have had great succes and have now very little moss in the lawn that I can find. Grass grew back quickly too. Then I gave it a feed once a month for two months.

Lifted out all the old thatch in the lawn too. can really recommend a scarifier. That's my answer, and no chemicals.