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Best Grass for area prone to Moss

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  • 23-02-2021 9:20pm
    #1
    duffman13
    Registered Users Posts: 8,946 ✭✭✭


    I'm a newbie Gardener after buying a house last year. The front garden is north facing and on a bit of a slope. Most gardens on the road are very mossy and mine is worse than most. My plan is to go at it with a scarifier and then putting down new layer of top soil and putting down new seed. Any recommendations on a seed that will thrive in a shaded environment.

    Any feedback on my plan would be appreciated too


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    #2
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    Would you consider a moss lawn instead?

    I'm all for going with the prevailing conditions.


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    #3
    lab man
    Registered Users Posts: 1,830 ✭✭✭lab man


    duffman13 wrote: »
    I'm a newbie Gardener after buying a house last year. The front garden is north facing and on a bit of a slope. Most gardens on the road are very mossy and mine is worse than most. My plan is to go at it with a scarifier and then putting down new layer of top soil and putting down new seed. Any recommendations on a seed that will thrive in a shaded environment.

    Any feedback on my plan would be appreciated too

    Put out sulphate of iron on the lawn you'll get it at any farmers merchants


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    #4
    grassylawn
    Registered Users Posts: 489 ✭✭grassylawn


    pwurple wrote: »
    Would you consider a moss lawn instead?

    I'm all for going with the prevailing conditions.
    Never heard of that.

    Found this article: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/03/blade-runners-the-joy-of-moss-lawns

    How do they compare to grass lawns for walking on and propensity to become muddy? Are they suitable for high traffic areas?

    I find that the mossiest parts of my lawn are the most pleasant to walk on. Kinda thick and springy. Apparently a mossy lawn is good from an environmentalist perspective too.


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    #5
    Zardoz
    Registered Users Posts: 5,575 ✭✭✭Zardoz


    A shady lawn grass seed would be best.

    The only way to keep moss away though is to spray Iron Sulphate regularly, it will blacken and burn the moss.
    4-5g per square metre.


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    #6
    duffman13
    Registered Users Posts: 8,946 ✭✭✭duffman13


    pwurple wrote: »
    Would you consider a moss lawn instead?

    I'm all for going with the prevailing conditions.

    This is a new one to me and not something I'd considered! The moss is very annoying and doesn't look well at all but maybe I should go the whole hog.

    Going to stick the scarifier on it, a little bit of top soil and shaded lawn seed to see how it goes


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    #7
    Zardoz
    Registered Users Posts: 5,575 ✭✭✭Zardoz


    duffman13 wrote: »
    This is a new one to me and not something I'd considered! The moss is very annoying and doesn't look well at all but maybe I should go the whole hog.

    Going to stick the scarifier on it, a little bit of top soil and shaded lawn seed to see how it goes

    Scarify it, then spray the iron sulphate to kill the remaining moss then overseed and fertilise.


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    #8
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,482 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    pwurple wrote: »
    I'm all for going with the prevailing conditions.
    would second this, no point in fighting conditions you can't change.
    in a previous place i lived, mind your own business took over in similar conditions and i actually preferred the look. though i suspect it wasn't hard wearing at all (it didn't get any traffic)


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    #9
    phormium
    Registered Users Posts: 3,297 ✭✭✭phormium


    I'm nearly going for the moss look at this stage! Have a shaded front garden, have done the sulphate of iron stuff several years all you get then is dead black moss that has to be raked out, have done that but the grass never managed to colonise the bare patches even with frequent and plenty sowing of seed. I see now at the moment it's definitely more moss than grass and I think I give up even after buying the electric scarifying thingy as there was too much to rake out.


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    #10
    lab man
    Registered Users Posts: 1,830 ✭✭✭lab man


    phormium wrote: »
    I'm nearly going for the moss look at this stage! Have a shaded front garden, have done the sulphate of iron stuff several years all you get then is dead black moss that has to be raked out, have done that but the grass never managed to colonise the bare patches even with frequent and plenty sowing of seed. I see now at the moment it's definitely more moss than grass and I think I give up even after buying the electric scarifying thingy as there was too much to rake out.

    Your not feeding the ground before you fertilise it take a sample of the ground and send it to be tested you'll see then wat its lacking


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    #11
    phormium
    Registered Users Posts: 3,297 ✭✭✭phormium


    lab man wrote: »
    Your not feeding the ground before you fertilise it take a sample of the ground and send it to be tested you'll see then wat its lacking

    It's been well fed over the years and still just gets worse, I don't think I'm going to go the bother of getting it tested, I think the best solution would be raise it a few inches which it could do with anyway with nice new topsoil and sow a grass suitable for shade. I got advice on this at one stage from a guy who looks after golf club grass but had hoped I wouldn't have to go the drastic route.


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