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I have the same problem with quite a number of lawns this year. Its crazy. Where is all this moss coming from this year?
Try hollow coring as well as scarifying, then put a moss killer down. If you do it before then scarify it can spread the Moss spores all over the place and your just be moving the Moss around the lawn.
Thankfully Its not me. I inherited these lawn but its worse this year. I guess I need to scarify and then put down new seeds.
I have these shoe plates which have long nails attached to the bottom. they strap onto the boots. Whilst walking they pierce the lawn. Do you thing that's OK too?
You can scarify before using a moss treatment. In fact I know many who would say that it is a better way. Since spraying a ferrous sulphate treatment only blackens the top layer of moss you might as well mechanically remove the majority first then treat what little amount is left behind.
A feed with 6-9% iron sulphate in would make the moss uncomfortable, but using that alone is a very long winded way of tackling the problem. If there is an underlying reason for the moss there is a good chance this wont solve it long term anyway.
Many have had a good result with a Viano product called MO Bacter. This is said to kill and encourage decomposition of the moss without making it go black. The downside is that you have to use it a 100g/sqm and it's not cheap to buy.
Cheers for advice guys, i think then I'll hollow core as well, never done that before and i didn't know about the moss spores spreading so i guess mosskill is neccessary. Daniela, it seems alot doesn't it but i always try to remember it seems worse before the grass starts properly growing after the winter!
Moss spreads by spores so if you have moss and the right conditions for it to grow then its a case of regular work to keep it at manageable levels. Its never just one thing - its shade, soil drainage, airflow, south/ north facing etc.
Iron sulphate is applied, mostly before scarifying - if for no other reason, than to kill the moss so when you scarify the spores don't start pinging all over the rest of the lawn and spreading the problem.
ultimately moss will come back, even with every chemical in the armoury it will be back in the year if the conditions are right for it.
My method, which works well is:
1) Cut the lawn extremely low - to remove grass and moss, in one swoop without spreading the moss spores around.
2) Scarify the remaining lawn.
3) test for compaction and is present solid tine and lightly top-dress with lawn sand, or loam/ compost mix depending on soil time. (Sand for heavy clays, loam for all else)
4) Apply a balanced feed, usually something like a 9-7-7 or 20-10-10 depending on the lawn quality and type, this balenced feed helps give good topgrowth and root growth with a thick sward.
5) All future cuts at a higher hight, NEVER less than 30mm, Ideally 35+ mm as this is a hight which helps the grass tiller, thickening the lawn and competing with the moss.
These are photos of the lawns
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