The ideal lawn, at least from the point of view of many garden owners, is nice and thick and green and only needs to be mowed infrequently. A few daisies may be seen, but there is no room for moss and clover.

Scarifying prevents moss and helps with existing infestations

Why do moss and clover grow in the lawn?

Moss likes to grow where there is shade and moisture. On the lawn, moss is therefore mainly seen under trees or in the shade of the house. Clover, on the other hand, grows primarily on lean and calcareous soils. Since it can form its own nitrogen thanks to a symbiosis with so-called nodule bacteria, it is not dependent on the supply of fertilizer.

How can I prevent moss and clover?

Since moss and clover cannot be removed from the lawn quickly or easily, it is best to prevent these plants from growing when you are planning your garden. You can do this by optimally preparing the soil for your lawn.

To do this, enrich the soil with nitrogen, for example by adding horn meal. Then sow a high-quality seed mixture for lawns. This mainly contains densely growing grasses, but grows a little more slowly.

Are there home remedies for moss and clover?

Special lawn herbicides act selectively, they only act on the lawn weeds to be controlled, but not on the grass. That sounds good at first, but the effect is limited to the above-ground parts of the plant. The root and subterranean foothills of the clover are spared. So the clover quickly spreads again to an undesirable extent.

Home remedies include salt and vinegar against moss and clover. However, they can harm other plants and also animals, so its use is not recommended. Scarifying the lawn and then applying targeted fertilizers is better, but also more laborious.

The essentials in brief:

  • Prepare the ground well
  • use good quality seeds
  • Mow the lawn regularly, but not too short
  • regularly use nitrogenous fertilizers
  • do not fertilize after autumn
  • Destroy or cut out weeds by scarifying

tips

Also use a high-quality seed mixture to overseed bare spots in the lawn.

Category:

Garden design