Lawn care – dealing with moss and thatch
It is all too common, you look out over your once pristine lawn and see brown and yellow patches.
When you walk onto it the ground feels spongy! What is the problem? Most likely moss and thatch.
Moss and thatch are signs that your lawn is unhealthy. Leaving them unchecked can cause considerable damage to your lawn. Both prevent healthy grass from growing and can lead to the presence of lichens and liverworts.
No need to worry though, in this article we look at these common lawn problems and the best way to deal with them.
What is moss and thatch?
Moss is a small flowerless plant which forms dense green clumps or mats. It tends to grow in damp shaded areas of the garden.
Thatch is a layer of dead turf material made up of stems, leaves and dead shoots. This layer forms between the grass and the soil surface. Whilst a small layer of thatch under one inch is beneficial to your lawn, keeping moisture in and preventing weeds, too much can be bad and suffocate your lawn.
What causes moss and thatch?
The causes of moss are:
- Poor drainage of the soil, leading to it becoming waterlogged
- Shady areas which prevent the soil from drying out as well as stop light reaching the soil
- Weakened grass caused by over mowing
- Shallow soil which does not give grass enough nutrients and leads to weak growth
The causes of thatch are:
- Frequent lawn watering
- Tightly packed soil
- Over feeding the lawn
How to prevent moss and thatch
Prevention is better than cure. There are a couple of ways that you can prevent both moss and thatch from taking hold.
Aerating
As moss forms when there is poor drainage, and thatch with compacted soil, the key is to improving both with aeration. To aerate a lawn is to put small holes in the soil which then allow it to hold air and drain efficiently.
If the issue is in a small area of your garden, use aerator shoes or a lawn spiker. For larger areas you could try a rolling lawn aerator.
Aeration is a good general practice for keeping your lawn healthy. The holes allow greater water, light and nutrient absorption by the soil. The result is healthier grass all year round. It also enables any densely packed soil to become light and oxygen rich, making for a great growing base.
Scarifying
A scarifier is the mechanical way to prevent and remove thatch and moss. It consists of vertical blades which go deep into the soil and cut through the debris.
Scarification is beneficial to the health and look of your lawn. It can though cause short term damage to the lawn given its cutting mechanism. The best time to carry it out is in the growing seasons of spring and autumn when the lawn has the best chance to recover.
Manually remove weeds before scarifying as if you have used weedkiller, the process is affected by the scarifier. You need to make sure your grass is dry and short before starting.
Lawn raking
A lawn rake is best used to remove moss and thatch from a small amount of lawn. It is hard work so will not work on a large lawn. Just use gentle pressure when raking to get the best result.
Clearing up
Use a landscaper’s rake to clear up all the debris once you have either scarified or raked as this picks everything up easily.
You may find that you need to go over the grass a second time. When doing this change the direction you go in, try corner to corner rather than straight down.
Lawn aftercare
Whether you choose to scarify or rake, your lawn will need some tender aftercare to recover.
Sprinkle it with some water and fertiliser. Also pop some grass seed in where you have any bare, dry or thin patches. Choose the correct grass seed for your particular type of lawn. Sow the seed evenly either by hand or with a seed spreader 10mm deep, then rake it into the soil and firm down by foot. Keep the seeded area moist over the following few days by watering and stay off your lawn if possible for up to 21 days.
With these tips you will be able to stay on top of any moss and thatch you find on your lawn, leaving it pristine all year round.
Lisa Lawrenson
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