Jonathan wrote:
I need lawn feed/moss killer type stuff. LOTS of it. About 400 m/sq
of lawn of it!
Bought a box of stuff from Tesco with a nice built in spreader, does
50 m/sq, costs
£6-ish.
Just going to re-fill that. As all the DIY superstores NEVER answer
the phone, I was just wondering if anyone saw any on their travels...

BTW, the lawn is about 80% moss, if anyone knows anything
particularly good for that level of mossyness.
Tried a moss-raker - the poor thing nearly choked and died, and I
ended up emptying the catcher (can't think of the word) about 50
times for a 2 metre square patch, which ended up looking like desert
anyway....


Two things for you to think about:

1. the moss is there for a reason. It likes the growing conditions you are
providing for it. RHS advice is:
Mosses become established in lawns when grass vigour is reduced, under
conditions of poor drainage, compaction, shade, excessively acid soil or
close mowing. Treatment can be carried out at any time of year when weather
is mild and the soil is moist, particularly during September and February or
March. Moss killers are based on dichlorophen, cresylic acid or ferrous
sulphate. They are contact in action with little or no residual effect, and
moss will usually return if cultural measures are not implemented.

So, you first need to tackle this side before wasting money on expensive
treatments. If you don't the moss will simply come back! Trust me - I learnt
the hard way!

A hollow tine aerator can be hired from most good garden hire shops for
around £40. this will remove 4" plugs of soil, into the holes you brush
SHARP SAND to improve drainage and reduce the effects of compaction.

You might also wish to tackle the soil acidity by adding lime - I'm not sure
of either from or quantities to use. perhaps some other inmate does?

2. Treating the lawn/killing the moss

I have used various lawn feeds, weed killers and moss killers both privately
and semi professionally over the past 20 years. The best by a very large
margin is the Scotts Lawn builder brand - American in origin but readily
available at good garden centres and cheaper by mail order over the web. I
generally find on treatment with either Feed & weed, or Feed & moss does the
job and gives very strong and even grass growth. A key advantage is that the
material is slow release granules rather than the powder of most of the
other brands - over dosing does not so readily result in scorch and killing
of strips of grass.

But, the downside is the price will scare you. It is the most expensive
product. But in my view it also gives by far the best value for money. You
are paying for good product not excessive marketing - which is what you are
paying for when you buy the products with heavy TV advertising and the big
colourful displays in Garden centres (paid for by the product seller not the
garden centre!)

You will also need the Scotts EvenGreen spreader. Again the best and most
controllable of the domestic grade spreaders.

The method, is to spread and then 2 weeks later rake off the dead moss. Yes
if you have 80% moss it will look like a desert, but overseeding with new
seed and regular watering will soon sot that out.



pk