Removing moss from lawns

[PTOuser]

Just spent all day using a steel rake to pull up moss so I could reseed grass. In the scope of my yard I didn't get very far but pulled up about 60 cubic feet. Blisters? You bet. Must be an attachment that makes this way quicker with my new PT425. I was wondering if a drag behind chain harrow isn't right for this? Recommendations?

 

[RonMar]

A de-thatching rake(2 rows of spring tine teeth) that I tow behind my garden tractor loosens up quite a bit of moss for me. I was looking at re-configuring the thatcher to fit up front, so I could run the mower deck over what gets ripped up, and send it to the bagger on the back.

 

[srjones]

Must be an attachment that makes this way quicker with my new PT425.

Absolutely! Use a 3PT fertilizer spreader and apply iron sulphate. The moss will be gone real quick. Then, dethatch.

(probably not the answer you were looking for....)

 

[Blagadan]

Ditto with the suggestion of the suplhate of iron. Simply tearing out the moss with a rake will only be a short term fix, you'll wind up doing the same next year. You gotta hit it with the sulphate of iron to increase the acidity of your soil a little. Applying the sulphate will turn the moss black within 3 days AND your lawn will green up some too. You can rake out the dead black moss later if it bothers you. If you have rhodedanderons, make sure you give the soil around them a shot too, they love a drop of iron from time to time...
WORD OF WARNING when using sulphate of iron. Make sure you keep it on the lawn only. I made the mistake of overspraying my concrete foot paths. They all turned rusty along the edges the next day and I still have not been able to restore then to their former state (even after using acid etch on the paths...),

You can spread it dry with a hopper spreader as suggested above or you can spray it if you dissolve it in luke warm water. I dilute my suplhate of iron so I can apply it with my spray boom.

 

[Highbeam]

You talk about dethatching a lawn, how about renting a thatcher? It is a walk behing device that resemebles a lawn mower but swings many thin little hinged blades/hammers around and acts like a rotary rake. Pulls the thatch to the top so you can collect it with the same equipment you'd use to collect lawn clippings. I've even used a lawn mower with a bag.

Mow the lawn real short before you start and don't hit your sprinkler heads.

When I lived in neighborhoods many homes would share a one day rental and just pass it around.

Even if you kill the moss with iron, you'll still have the thatch so I recommend thatching and then applying iron to knock out the remaining moss.

 

[bigdad]

Highbeam hit the nail on the head!

Those rental jobs are adjustable and really bring up the crap. Dethatch, seed then roll. Good healthy grass may help curb that moss problem some too.

Good luck.

 

[wedge40]

Where would someone purchase Iron Sulphate? I've tried the box stores and they think I'm nuts.

Wedge

 

[PBinWA]

Where would someone purchase Iron Sulphate? I've tried the box stores and they think I'm nuts.

Wedge

Lily Miller Moss Out for Lawns. Maybe if you are in some obscure part of the country where moss doesn't grow then I could see stores not carrying it.

Otherwise, in the PNW it is everywhere.

Most Scott's Brand Fertilizers have Iron in them. Iron is also good for "greening" up your lawn.

 

[srjones]

Try some of the smaller hardware stores (like Ace) that seem to have a larger selection good customer service.

I'm using NuLife "Rid Moss" which I get at Lowes. However, you can get it Amazon.com of all places...Go figure.

Amazon.com: WAUPACA MATERIALS #03021 20LB 7-0-0 Moss Killer: Kitchen & Dining

Oh, and it really does quickly kill the moss and "green up" the grass.

 

[srjones]

I just took this picture a few hours ago. While it doesn't really show what happens to the moss, it does show the contrast of treated and untreated grass (and why it's important to evenly spread it).