Moss - The garden variety

[Swervin_Mervin]

I cut my garden for the first time this year and found that I now have about 50/50 ratio of grass to moss.

I know the cause - poor drainage, clay soil etc so I've bought an aerator and some treatment but does anyone have any old wisdom, the type of wisdom passed down from grandfather to grandson that they could impart ???

Only 50:50? Mines about 80:20

You want my advice of dealing with this for 13yrs? Fuck it. As long as it's green and you pass a mower over it every now and again it's fine. Everybody that sees our "lawn" from our house remarks how good it looks. If they were to see it up close they wouldn't think so

Just mow some stripes into it and no one will know

[duncs500]

Yep, ours has some significant patches of moss this year. I think I'm going to aerate and feed the lawn where I can but TBH in some of the damper parts that get foot traffic the moss seems harder wearing and more likely to stay green than the grass ever did. I'm inclined to go with the approach of not putting too much effort in.

[Rich B]

I mowed yesterday for the first time since about october last year - the grass actually looks the best it’s been in years.



However, i know that by the summer half of it will be yellow, bare and dead and the thatch and moss will be all that’s left… and repeat.

i can’t be arsed to do anything to sort it though tbh beyond mowing and weeding - it really needs levelling and starting again as there’s so many different varieties of grass in patches that all go different colours.

[IanF]

Cut my lawn yesterday too. I’m leaving the moss alone as it is harder wearing!

[dinny_g]

I’ve spent the past 2 lunchtimes aerating the garden and it has confirmed a long held concern.

My house was built in 1984 and I’d say the builders dumped all the construction rubble and hardcore in the garden space, threw down a bit of top soil and seeded it.

For about 60% of the garden, the 60% furthest from the house, the aerator hits rock/stone/concrete about 4 inches down.

I may have a fight in my hands

[Beany]

I keep seeing this thread title, and thinking Richard Ayoade has died.

[dinny_g]

[duncs500]

I’ve spent the past 2 lunchtimes aerating the garden and it has confirmed a long held concern.

My house was built in 1984 and I’d say the builders dumped all the construction rubble and hardcore in the garden space, threw down a bit of top soil and seeded it.

For about 60% of the garden, the 60% furthest from the house, the aerator hits rock/stone/concrete about 4 inches down.

I may have a fight in my hands

I'd say 4in of topsoil is pretty decent compared to ours!

Google suggests 4-6in is optimal for a lawn, so I don't think you can blame the depth. It could be shite topsoil mind you.

[dinny_g]

True - and I suppose if it's random bits of rubble and brick, it should give some drainage.

We'll see: the plan is:

1. First cut of winter grass - Done
2. Aerate - Done
3. Decent Soaking - Done (rained for a solid 30 mins last night after I'd finished)
4. Cut grass down low - when the weather warms up a bit
5. Treat area at the back of the garden and see how it goes / looks
6. Treat remainder of garden
7. Aerate again
9. Put down garden treatment
10. Re-seed where necessary (but 1 to 9 have to be complete by July at the latest)

[Beany]

I approve of the thread title change and also the war against moss (not the IT crowd character)

[Swervin_Mervin]

True - and I suppose if it's random bits of rubble and brick, it should give some drainage.

We'll see: the plan is:

1. First cut of winter grass - Done
2. Aerate - Done
3. Decent Soaking - Done (rained for a solid 30 mins last night after I'd finished)
4. Cut grass down low - when the weather warms up a bit
5. Treat area at the back of the garden and see how it goes / looks
6. Treat remainder of garden
7. Aerate again
9. Put down garden treatment
10. Re-seed where necessary (but 1 to 9 have to be complete by July at the latest)

11. Watch grass grow
12. Enjoy better looking lawn for a few months
13. Forget about it over winter
14. Drag the mower out in Spring 2026 and realise it's all moss again

[dinny_g]

Yeah I know Merv..