Lawn sand

[DAVEM]

I have serious moss problems with my lawn and have decided this time to try lawnsand ratther than granules, or liquid mosskiller to sort the problem. This worked some years ago when I borrowed a spreader although admittedly I almost killed the lawn!
I bought a Scotts Evergreen Lawn spreader recently only to find is does not spread lawnsand so had to take it back. Apparently the Scotts Evengreen spreader is needed- but this is twice the price !

Any suggestions about alternative lawnsand spreaders or whether it is worh spreading by hand ( 135 gm/m2) ?

[cptncrackoff]

I spread my evergreen complete by hand, very very roughly.

some of the grass did turn black for a while where i put too much on, well i say black, really dark greeny-black, it recovered.
Some people measure and mark out sq metres with string, i am however lazy.

[smc999]

I bought the Evergreen in a plastic container with a spreader bar attached about 5 years ago and have just filled it up every year since.

[Two_Sheds]

I have serious moss problems with my lawn

Are you happy to keep up the moss killer and raking year after year?

Or have you thought about doing away with the lawn altogether? (moss indicates the soil is too shady, and/or too sour) Or possibly re-seeding with a "shade tolerant" lawn seed?

[Snadger]

Better to look, methinks, at the root cause of whats causing the moss and sort this out, rather than rely on chemicals and heavy scarification each year.

But there again, it's your lawn and if you're happy to do that, so be it!

[glasgowdan]

Why does the moss bother you? Be honest; if it's not an issue I wouldn't worry about it.

If you can hire a hollow tine aerator, go over the lawn, then blow or rake up the cores, and mix some topsoil with sand (2pt sand 1 pt soil as a guide), shovel this onto the grass and rake it thoroughly in so it fills the gaps you just made during aeration. It will fall between the grass blades and not really cover up the grass at all. The grass roots can then develop a bit stronger, gain access to more nutrient and grow easier without trying to push through compacted clay soil.

Always good to scarify and apply iron sulphate annually though.

Lawn care and garden maintenance from Dan Frazer Gardening, Glasgow, Dumbartonshire and beyond