we live near parksville, bc. every year the moss is back. how do some folks here have rich thick lawns? thanks all
rich thick lawns? ... as they used to say in the pre and post-war 2 era - -- Better Living Through Chemistry (dupont slogan) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Living_Through_Chemistry ======== we like our moss. we have a professional service and I asked them specifically - do not put weed/moss/feed chemicals on our lawn or elsewhere (for several reasons, including ethics, pets, kids, wildlife, barefeet, run-off etc) and it is a professionally installed lawn - about 6 yrs old now. it has the golf-course type construction (because it is a septic field also about 6 yrs old obviously) - so gravel-sand, good drainage, top coat of soil and seed etc. but I have not yet been able to change the path of the sun and the angle it meets our lawn throughout the seasons. (ie not much in winter)! (or the damp climate we have for many months of the year) i'm kidding about changing the sun path but it is certainly a factor. As are the shade trees in our neighborhood. bottom line - I think it depends on your budget, your beliefs (environmental - chemical, wildlife, pets, kids, etc), what professional licensed service is avail to serve your landscape ... (certain licenses required to sell and/or apply chemicals) and moss is natural here - it is a rain forest. There are some beautiful ways to incorporate moss in to your design scheme. My Albertan spouse grew up with perfect lawns - apparently - but it isn't an option in many of the shaded neighborhoods here. So now spouse enjoys the sweeping ocean view and beach - while overlooking the moss!
Most moss looks the same all the time. Grass, on the other hand readily goes brown if not watered heavily and consistently.
There are different kinds of moss, some may look nice, others may not. Moss tends to grow best on poor, shallow, acidic soils, where other plants may find it difficult to get established. It can grow without soil, too. Improving the condition of your soil could help other plants, grass in particular, to out-compete the moss.
It's funny, gardeners in the prairies, where I am, work for years to have moss growing in the garden.
The easiest way to control moss in a lawn is to make the grass grow vigorously by feeding it. Any high nitrogen fertilizer, chemical or organic, will do the trick. Moss can't compete with grass if the soil is fertile enough. Of course this means that you also have to keep the grass watered, and it will have to be cut more often. And the grass should be cut high to be effective at shading out the moss.
the person who mowed our grass always mowed it short, even when it did not need cutting. now replaced thanks all
