Moss removal danger to birds

dewdrop

Later on i intend putting sulphate of iron on our lawn whici is moss infected. Does this cause harm to birds.

inishindie

I would have thought that sulphate of iron on the lawn would be OK, the birds just tend to flick the moss away to get the leatherjackets. There is an organic slug product called Ferramol on the market which claims to be safe for birds (less harmful maybe) and that has Iron sulphate in it. Less chance of them becoming aneamic.....


Here are a few more ideas to keep the moss away...

Lawn Sand. This effectively burns off the moss while providing a boost to grass growth. Sometimes more than one application will be required.

Feeding. A good long-term strategy for moss control is through regular feeding to keep up the vigour of the grass.

Careful mowing. Removing excessive amounts of green foliage, more than 20% at any time, places the grass under great stress. Leaving the grass excessively long will create a damp microclimate on the surface and will weaken the finer grasses.

Chopping back. If possible open up the area by cutting back shrubs, trees and hedges to let the light in. Mechanical treatments. Scarifying will remove large quantities of moss and if carried out in the spring and early autumn will be very effective. This coupled with surface aeration designed to improve the surface drainage will go a long way to combat the problem.Top dressing. The use of good quality top dressing helps to create a drier, freer draining surface.

Reducing acidity. The application of lime should be undertaken very cautiously as it may result in other problems. The use of a product such as calcified seaweed would be a safer form of moss control.

Good drainage. If all else fails then you might have to put in some serious drainage…. or, like the rest of us, learn to live with it…...Best of luck.

FarmerBrown

I used a product called Progreen Moss Remover last year, I found it an excellent product because you don't need to scarify out the moss when it has died as it just simply turns into dust. Apparently it's the high volume of Potash in the fertiliser that dehydrates the moss down to the roots.