A gardening expert has warned homeowners against using common chemical treatments to remove moss from lawns, saying they can worsen the problem. Peter Dowdall, known as The Irish Gardener, said he is being inundated with questions about moss removal as spring arrives.
Dowdall cautioned against products containing sulphate of iron, which are widely available in garden centres. He explained that while these chemicals kill moss by turning it black, they also acidify the soil, creating ideal conditions for moss to return. 'It works by acidifying the soil so it decreases the PH of the soil, and what that does is it creates the ideal conditions for moss to come back because moss likes a low PH,' he said.
Instead, Dowdall recommends scarifying the lawn to physically remove moss, followed by aeration to improve soil structure. 'First of all you scarify the lawn, which is really like a mechanical rake, it is just physically removing the moss and the patch from the surface of the lawn,' he explained. 'Once you have done that then, you try and improve the soil structure by erasing it so erasing it really is just creating many tiny tiny little holes in the top two inches of the soil.'
He noted that compacted soil, often found in new-build properties, causes poor drainage and encourages moss growth. While annual maintenance is needed for a moss-free lawn, Dowdall questioned whether a perfect lawn is necessary, highlighting that moss can purify the air. 'If you want a perfect moss free lawn, I am not going to judge, but it is just important you do it in an ecologically sound way without using chemicals,' he said.
