Garden Q&A: What's the best way to deal with moss on my lawn?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions 

Once temperatures rise and the grass starts growing again, you can tackle moss and patchiness. File pictures

Question

My lawn looks awful — mossy, patchy and tired. Should I do something about it now?

Answer

Do nothing for now, apart from keeping the surface clear of leaves and debris. 

At this time of year, lawns are largely dormant, and any attempt to scarify, feed or treat moss will do more harm than good. 

On a dry day, you could mow the lawn at a high setting on the mower just to keep it in check. 

Moss thrives when grass growth slows, so its presence now is normal.

Once temperatures rise and the grass starts growing again, you can tackle moss and patchiness. To do this, you will need to try to figure out what's causing the moss and patchiness. 

If the lawn feels hard and water sits on the surface, then compaction may be the issue, and light scarifying or aeration will help. 

If moss returns quickly, low pH may be the problem, and a lime treatment may be needed.

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