Gardening help. Moss!

[Pondrew]

Need advice from any keen gardeners please.
My front lawn is being taken over by moss. This year it's so bad there are big areas with no grass left at all. I don't really know how best to tackle it and keep it away. We also get multiple Red Ant nests in the front lawn each Spring/ Summer which look like mole hills when mowed. I have absolutely no idea how or if I can deal with these.

I am thinking of drastic action if there is no other easy solution; That is spraying the whole lot with strong weedkiller then getting tonnes of top soil and starting again.

The yellowy/ brown areas in the photo are all just moss now.

IMG_9347.JPG (222.04 KiB) Viewed 267 times

[Chippie]

I have the same problem with my lawn, I apply moss killer at least twice a year, rake all the dead moss up leaving the lawn looking terrible and then reseed, by the time the grass is getting established the moss is coming back, it just seems to be a vicious circle, I think the main problem is having a very heavy clay soil and a lot of shade from neighbouring trees, in the past I’ve even removed all the grass and re turfed but the moss is still back again to following year, it makes me sound sad but when the weathers been nice I’ve even sat picking the moss out by hand
In the past I’ve seen lawns laid on pebbles, presumably to help with drainage.

[Scubaregs]

Treat your grass the same way you treat your cars mate, i.e. change it every few months.

[MikeyH]

I think you need to regularly rake over the lawn to remove the moss, then with a fork make holes all over to air and help drainage. Long and boring work. Have you thought about one of those lawn firms that maintain the lawn for you.

[MikeyH]

It looks better than ours though

[Pondrew]

Have you thought about one of those lawn firms that maintain the lawn for you.

Too tight for that TBH.
I don't really care but the lawnmower doesn't like cutting moss and because the lawn fronts the main road, my wife is worried 'what the neighbours will think'.

For a town centre, our front lawn is quite big and a waste of space IMO. No-one sits in their front garden (especially on a main road), there are loads of trees on the path which are all a mess, as all Council owned so they do nothing to look after them.

I may look into hiring one of those machines with the big tines to help aerate it. I ain't doing it by hand!

[sars]

Feed and weed April and September, keep at and in a few years it will improve, if after four weeks of the April treatment, you see little improvement, treat again. Looks like you have a Northish facing garden and unfortunately this is a byproduct of little sun on shorter days. For the ants nest use Nippon ant killer, soon as you see those raised earth patches sprinkle it on liberally.

Quick question do you have lots of birds picking at your lawn? If so this is a whole different and bigger problem.

[Pondrew]

Feed and weed April and September, keep at and in a few years it will improve, if after four weeks of the April treatment, you see little improvement, treat again. Looks like you have a Northish facing garden and unfortunately this is a byproduct of little sun on shorter days. For the ants nest use Nippon ant killer, soon as you see those raised earth patches sprinkle it on liberally.

Quick question do you have lots of birds picking at your lawn? If so this is a whole different and bigger problem.

Front faces due West. We do have an issue with drainage in both gardens. High water table as we are at (or below) sea level. That and it hasn't stopped raining for months!

I will get some bulk Nippon! Cheers.

[pvr]

And don't cut it too short as that will allow the moss to grow even more

[sars]

And don't cut it too short as that will allow the moss to grow even more

This and reduces burning in summer

The house we stayed in Nidderdale last year had the lushest of lawns, it was kept at a constant height by a robot lawnmower, just skimming the top off and allowing the mulch to decay in the lawn, no moss at all

I would have purchased one as soon as I got home but he who shall not be named wants those damned stripes

I just want an easier life

[TitanTim]

I used to get moss on the back lawn along with moles as we had a field next door. I tried to get rid of the moles at first using mole smokes and finding the run into the garden. It didn't really work and they returned the following year so contacted a pest controller who set traps, caught them and took them away to release them elsewhere. They never returned after that.

On the moss, like others would rake it out and re seed every year and in the end said enough and took the front and back lawns up and gravelled it all. Best thing I did, no dreary mowing and a constant battle trying to keep on top of it. The front lawn would just dry out to a crisp each summer anyways and would never really recover. It was just better getting rid of it.

We've also been getting alot of badgers and foxes lately who like to did holes so getting rid of the lawn was the best thing.

I know gravel can be boring but some choice planting of shrubs and grass plants softens it all up.

Tim.

[TitanTim]

Sorry just realised you have ants not moles but have ants as well in the kitchen I use Dethlac spray which is pretty good.

Tim.

[enuff_zed]

Artificial turf?
Some of those look pretty realistic these days.

[IRD]

It needs doing with a hollow tine machine each year to improve the drainage plus twice a year treatment with moss killer. Then apply a good lawn feed at least twice a year. There is no short term solution. It took me three years to make our grass anything like decent and it is an ongoing battle. Good luck!

[enuff_zed]

When I was at RAF Marham back in the 80s we were expecting a visit from the Queen. They went all along the kerbs and sprayed to kill the weeds. The overspray left a perfect strip of brown grass beside the kerb. Next day all those who'd been naughty were sent out with green paint! I kid you not!