During the winter months moss can be a severe problem on all types of turf and lawns. The conditions that moss favour are as follows:

Poor drainage – This will encourage fern and tufted type moss.

Nutrient deficiency – A lawn that is low in nutrition will be thin and weak, this is an open invitation for moss to invade

Acidic soil conditions – Moss favours soils that are acid (low pH).

Shaded lawns – Shaded areas caused by buildings, trees and shrubs will encourage moss.

Cutting grass to short – Shaving your lawn to short that causes scalping will leave thin areas open to attack

Drought – Drought damage throughout the summer causes loss of grass cover, again leaving it open to moss invasion.

The most effective way of preventing moss is to tackle the problems that cause it, as outlined above. This can be achieved with good lawn care techniques. Reduce any shade by pruning back vegetation. Regular aeration will improve the drainage. Apply the correct amount of nutrition to keep your lawn healthy. Mowing at the correct height will keep the grass thicker with less chance of scalping. Remember by keeping your lawn healthy and vigorous you are less likely to have severe problems with moss.

If however moss does become a problem on your lawn it can be dealt with in the spring time with the following treatments.

The traditional way of controlling moss is with lawn sand. This product is applied in the spring when the grass is just starting to grow. Lawn sand contains iron sulphate (kills the moss), ammonium sulphate (encourages grass growth for recovery) and sand which is used as a carrier. This product comes in a powder or granular form and can be applied by hand or a spreader. Ideally apply to dry grass and water in thoroughly afterwards if there is no rainfall.

The alternative method is to use a product called Dichlorophen, which again should be applied in the spring time. This product comes in a liquid form and can be applied with a sprayer or watering can.

Whichever method you use it usually takes about two weeks for the moss to die. You can then remove the moss with either a powered lawn rake or scarifier or by hand with a spring tine rake. Once you have removed and cleared the moss away you can over seed and top dress any bare areas. Then if necessary apply an application of fertiliser to help speed up recovery.