To successfully remove a moss problem, it is important to identify the primary cause and remove it or reduce its impact. Moss will thrive in areas of excessive moisture shade and poor turf quality.

Left unchecked, moss will increase, reducing the grass’ ability to thrive and will eventually “choke” out the grass completely. Moss is able to lay dormant in a lawn in dry conditions for long periods, but as soon as moisture is present again in the Spring or Autumn it will come back to life.

Why have I got moss in my lawn?

Usually moss is prevalent in lawns either due to excessive moisture or weak turf. These in turn are caused by a number of different factors as below:

What can be done to reduce moss?

The first thing to do is to try to identify the cause of the moss problem. If it is due to shade from trees, it is possible to remove lower branches or thin out the tree. If it is due to excessive moisture, then hollow tine aeration will help to improve the surface drainage.

If that is the problem then deep scarification is what is required. One of the easiest ways to reduce the incidence of moss is to prevent the lawn from getting long over the winter months. Grass rarely stops growing in the winter nowadays so it is important to keep cutting it.

Dealing with the moss that is already there is the next issue. As moss develops from the autumn through to spring, it is important to treat it at these two times. Firstly autumn but more importantly in the spring when moss is likely to be at its most prevalant.

To successfully remove a moss problem, it is important to identify the primary cause and remove it or reduce its impact. Moss will thrive in areas of excessive moisture shade and poor turf quality.

Left unchecked, moss will increase, reducing the grass’ ability to thrive and will eventually “choke” out the grass completely. Moss is able to lay dormant in a lawn in dry conditions for long periods, but as soon as moisture is present again in the Spring or Autumn it will come back to life.

There are many types of lawn weeds or broadleaved weeds as they are sometimes referred and can leave a lawn looking very unsightly indeed.
They tend to produce flowers and seed heads at different times of the year ruining the uniform green of a lush well maintained lawn.

Weeds are generally, as with moss, an indicator of a weak turf but they can even be a problem in a well maintained and established lawn. They are usually easier to eradicate than moss.

Why have I got weeds in my lawn?

Weeds seeds will be carried into a lawn from a number of different sources: from birds over head, cats, dogs or other mammals that roam freely or from the people carrying them on their cloths or footwear. A seed will develop into a full blown weed unless unchecked. Some weeds are low growing and will be unaffected by the action of a lawn mower such as Lesser Trefoil and so spread until dominating a lawn.

What can be done to reduce weeds?

Cambridge Garden Services use an herbicide that has more than one active ingredient and so will kill a broad range of lawn weeds. We are usually able to reduce by more than 70% the amount of common weeds in our lawn. Weeds are best treated when they are actively growing, which is usually any time from April through to June and then again in September and October. Hand weeding can be a very difficult task and in some cases, such as dandelion, can actually worsen the weed problem. Some are a little more troublesome but we are confident that we are able to correctly identify them and reduce or control your lawn weed problem completely.

There are many types of pests and diseases that can attack your lawn and if these are not dealt with quickly then your beautiful, lush green grass can be destroyed very quickly. Below are some of the most common problems that lawns face and details of how to treat them, if you think your lawn has a problem but you are unsure as to the cause your friendly local expert will be happy to help.

When making a choice as to which lawnmower is most suitable for your lawn there are a number of factors to take into account:

How often should I mow my lawn?

Your lawn should be mowed as regularly as you can do it, at least once per week during the main growing seasons of April – June and Sept – October. This can be relaxed during the height of summer if a drought ensues as the growth will slow and during the winter months again when the rate of growth slows.

It is, however important not to let the grass get too long at any time of the year, including winter, as this will reduce the quality significantly, increase the likelihood of moss invasion and reduce the aesthetic appearance of the grass. Do not be frightened to mow your grass in the winter if it is getting long and the ground is not waterlogged or frozen.

What is it?

Scarifying is a process perhaps best described as a mechanical raking of the lawn; its primary purpose is to remove thatch from the lawn although it has associated benefits as well. The machine used has a series of sharp tungsten blades that rotate at high speed and cut into the turf in a vertical manor. The depth can be adjusted to remove as much or as little as required. This machine and process should not be confused with the typical machine available on the domestic market, which is more of a lawn rake, has much less power and limited depth penetration.

Why does my lawn need scarifying?

A lawn that has developed a large amount of thatch or moss needs to be scarified to remove as much of this material as possible allowing the grass space to grow. Scarifying should be carried out at a time when the grass is growing actively to allow it to recover from this rigorous process, usually autumn through to spring time. It is advisable; although not essential to carry out scarifying before a fertiliser treatment as this will greatly speed the rate of recovery from the process.

How often does my lawn need scarifying? 

All lawns are different in their characteristics and it is therefore very difficult to predict how often to scarify a lawn. There are a number of factors that will affect the frequency required. If a lawn contains large amounts of thatch and / or moss it may need a number of treatments to reduce the level to be manageable. Different grass types tend to produce more thatch than others and therefore need scarifying more frequently. As a general rule Cambridge Garden Services advise that a lawn should be scarified between every 1 and 3 years but for specific advice please discuss with your lawn manager who will be able to look at your individual circumstances. Also view the Thatch page

Grass, as most things living on our planet need air to enable their natural growth. Grass plants need air to their roots. Aeration is simply a process of improving the lawn ability to access air through its root system and therefore grow healthily. Cambridge Garden Services Lawn Care feel that Hollow Tine Aeration is by far the most effective way of aerating a lawn. The machine used will remove approx 45 cores per square metre of turf leaving many holes all over the lawn. Each core removed is 12mm thick and 100mm long, approx. This process allows the soil surrounding the holes to swell slightly improving the soils ability to pass air / moisture and nutrients to the plant roots.

Why does my lawn need aerating?

Over time most soils will become compacted, squashing the particles together and reducing the grasses ability to grow well. This
compaction will itself cause a number of problems, it will increase the likely hood of the lawn becoming flooded or water logged. Compacted soils are much more likely to become infested with either weeds such as daisy´s or moss. The roots are unable to access
the nutrient they require so the grass tends to be thin weak and pale in compacted soils. If thatch is a problem in a lawn then the best way to reduce its impact on the turf growth is by Hollow tine aeration.

How often does my lawn need aerating?

A lawn cannot be over aerated as long as it is not damaged, the more often the better. As a rule Cambridge Garden Services tend to suggest that it is carried out between every 1 and 3 years but as all soil types / lawns and situations are different it is really something that needs to be discussed individually with your lawn Manager.