Algae & Moss

Moss

Moss is a tiny non-flowering plant and yet for many gardeners it is the worst of all lawn troubles.

Moss is a symptom and not the primary cause of rundown lawn turf. This means that just using a moss killer is not enough - the only way to ensure permanent freedom from moss is to find what the cause is and correct it.

Dampness is essential for the spread of mosses, so spring and autumn are the main periods of rapid colonisation in lawns.

Poor drainage and compaction within your lawn also make it high risk.

The best defence against moss is to keep your lawn strong and healthy.

Weak grass growth can be caused by a number of factors: water logging, shade, mowing too short, too little fertiliser or drought.

Try to correct the cause of the problem.

However, moss will tend to creep into even the best lawns and so to keep it at bay make sure that you fertilise your lawn in the spring with an iron sulphate.

Algae

These are dark green primitive plants that form a thin slimy layer on the surface of soil and plant tissues.

They grow when your lawn turf is thin, your soil is wet for most hours of the day and for several days in a row, and if your lawn is shaded.

When algae grow, your lawn turf needs some care. Generally, algae will not kill your turf, but they can cause it to turn yellow or lose its green colour. Often when algae develops in your lawn turf, you can also find them on pavements, walls, and even the trunks of trees. Algae are quite easy to control, both on lawn turf and elsewhere in your garden.

To prevent and cure these problems:
A thick, healthy lawn turf will not allow algae or moss to form because the lawn turf keeps most of the light needed for the algae and moss growth from reaching the soil surface, where these primitive plants live.

If your lawn turf is thin you might need to solve this problem or replace the turf with good quality turf. In the event that your turf does not need to be replaced, then improving the growing conditions as follows will help reduce both algae and moss:

Reduce the shade if possible - trim back trees or prune overhanging shrubs.

Feed with a nitrogen rich fertiliser in spring or early summer.

Cut the lawn at the correct height.

Aerate your lawn to improve the air circulation and drainage.

Routine treatment with lawn sand will kill both moss and algae.

Moss can be removed by raking out.

You can also apply chemicals that will remove algae growth.