Kitchen Garden Forum

Geoff wrote:

neighbours might be a wee

I thought it was the dog (bitch)!

Westi's neighbours have always found it a convenience having her next door

Funny Guys!

They never 'P' me off for a start! Good neighbours!

Westi

Update on this stuff.

2 sprayings of copper sulphate based on the dilution I found online. On hard or compacted surfaces it worked but not the case where there is grass. I spent a few hours the last couple of days on the kneeler scrapping it away from the lawn where there are gaps but it is wrapped around the grass roots so no way I'm going to eradicate it that way. I'm only doing this as the lawn needs mowing, but think if I do mow while there is so much algae remaining I risk spreading it, but will have to mow or will loose the hound shortly!

Decision is I will mow, then I'm going to ditch the sprayer & mix it in the watering can so make sure it really drenches around the roots of the grass where it is tangled. Hopefully this & good weather (not doing it this weekend obviously), will eradicate it. Even though the sun is shining there are some mighty slippery patches in my lawn so no way it can be left as it is or someone will take a tumble - that someone is likely to be me so more of a motive!

Westi

I have even got moss on a lawn with just a few inches of topsoil with topsoil sitting on sand but the moss grows where the lawn meets the earth bank, this of-course is the dampest part of the lawn. Another lawn is a classic damp retaining situation so has lots of moss and another lawn has no moss at all probably because it dries out quickly.

Regular applications of lawnsand is expensive though I'm now wondering if I should give it a go, I bought a drop spreader because those scatter types seemed a bad idea unless you have perfect shapes but drop type causes stripes if you can't judge where you've been on the last run. Stripes or double-dose.

Surely with the scatter type the double dose is more likely ?

Moss, or whatever you have in your lawn, is a sign that growing conditions for the grass are not ideal. The best way to get rid of it is to address this problem. Try feeding the lawn regularly, improving drainage, reduce shade if possible and reduce footfall.

You can scarify or rake the lawn to remove it and then scatter some seed, also try moss killer

https://simonjarvis.co.uk/2020/04/15/re ... om-a-lawn/

here is a short blog post that might be helpful

I've bitten the bullet & getting the professionals in to fix it as have other jobs for them as well. Just sorting the social distancing aspect & their availability! Welcome to the forum! I'm sure your input will be very handy! I'll start with a question - any hints or tips when they put the new turf down to counteract the female dog wee on it, besides chasing her around with a watering can?

I really think it is more algae like. Someone suggested I did a test patch with some sort of pond clear but not sure if it would be safe for the flower beds if it accidentally went in. (I don't have a pond so no idea about these types of products). More research needed methinks! I'm not after a pristine lawn (not a chance with the critters anyway), but would like this stuff out so could re-seed & walk safely in damp weather.

Rather sad reading back on this thread and seeing contributors who are no longer with us.

I think any lawned areas whixh has thia problem would benefit from some rather deep spiking to improve long term drainage and aeration and brushing in some lawn sand.

How did your eventual lawn treatment work out Westi? Did you implement any special dog wee precautions? I know a dog owner who always kept a hose handy to hose down the relevant area to dilute the impact but hardly seemed practical to me.

Well the new turf failed miserably Primrose. Although it did look grand for a few weeks the algae slime stuff seeped back through it despite the rotavating & hard work the garden guys did. I called them back obviously as they assured me it was that the soil was compacted. Got 1/2 my money back as the back bit was fine.

I called it quits then & used that 1/2 refund to do this! Well with a bit more as I went with the edging, but they bought the old patio bricks as matched another job they were doing an extension & path for!

A brilliant job, Westi....

My word Westi, that looks rather grand.

Regarding moss, I have always used Sulphate of iron applied dry before rain is due. But wait for the moss to die before raking otherwise you will be spreading the moss spores.

Oh,and happy birthday too.

Regards, Diarmuid.

I feel sorry for my neighbour (slightly). She spent over £40 a square metre on pretend grass and when I visited last week that was full of moss and the bit near her bird table was covered in germinating bird seed. mobdro

An update to this is the brickwork is pristine still but the muck stuff appears in the flower beds or if not the green muck the soil is black & slimey. A friend suggested it could be related to the previous use of the housing estate which was an airfield in the war - it was the American's site where I am, the Brits flew out the east side. Well, when they decamped they did not take their used engine oil with them but buried the drums. There is a house up the road 500 metres or so that had an extension added & when digging the foundations found rusted metal & a big oil slick. I've not dug deep enough to find any drums but now have the oily soil - hmm?. I don't know anything about oil on a slight leak attracting the algae thing but if you rub your fingers in the flower beds now it is greasy & the plants die. Hoping to contain it & can grow in pots there - read hope the neighbours up the road got the big dump & I just have one wayward drum.

Anyway rathipardeeep over to you - welcome to the forum! I did consider pretend grass but couldn't get my head around the dog stuff. All would probably be OK but it never looks real & I didn't fancy scrubbing the 'grass'! I would from what you noted also had other issues so made the right choice! Cheers for the reassurance!