Moss growing in my yard,,

[ericjeeper]

I recently turned 5 acres of cornfield into my yard when I built my new barnhouse back in 04. I have spent 600 dollars on grass seed..
I have bare spots in my lawn due to poor topsoil conditions from where i might have stripped a bit to much and not replaced it.. But in a lot of the spots I have moss. growing.. I have heard I can use copper sulfate.. But is there a way that I can mix it with water and spray it through my boom sprayer? or am I best off to use my dry broadcast spreader? Hoping someone here can help me.. Scotts sells a product for moss, they say it is ferrous sulfate is the active ingredient.. is this the same as copper sulfate?or close enough? I can not afford to buy the Scotts brand.. 1 bag treats 5,000 sq. feet.. surely copper sulfate would be a cheaper fix..
Do I need to put down some ag lime to get my ph into check? I might take some soil samples in to the co-op and have them test it for me.. Thanks to all who reply
Eric from central Indiana

[Dubai Vol]

Why would you want to get rid of it? It never needs mowing!

[mistletoad]

Ferrous sulphate is iron sulphate, but you can use copper, iron or aluminum sulphate to control moss.

I would get the soil test and then add lime if necessary, it won't kill the moss but it will help the grass to outcompete it.

[mistletoad]

Why would you want to get rid of it? It never needs mowing!

And it is soft on your feet!

[ericjeeper]

if you want my moss come and get it.. LOL
I still have bare dirt .. I want it filled in this year with grass..My dog is in the daily process of fertilizing the lawn.. 5 acres of alfalfa hay behind the house and he won't go there,.. LOL Thanks for the replies so far

[ellebeaux]

Originally Posted by ericjeeper

if you want my moss come and get it.. LOL
I still have bare dirt .. I want it filled in this year with grass..My dog is in the daily process of fertilizing the lawn.. 5 acres of alfalfa hay behind the house and he won't go there,.. LOL Thanks for the replies so far

Let the moss grow for a while, then add the grass seed on top. The moss will make more soil where it's currently too damp for grass and then the grass will move in. YOu could probably help it along be seeding some grass, but the moss is actually making better soil for you than you would get by removing it.

We used to live in a heavily wooded area. My mom loved the moss and would spend hours out there pulling up the grass, blade by blade. I kid you not.

[snoozy]

So you would prefer to eliminate a naturally low-growing, velvety ground cover which obviously likes the growing conditions in your yard, poison your land and force grass to grow, which will require mowing (eating up your time and requiring gas or electricity to run the mower)?

Well, that's your choice to make.

[Cabin Fever]

Any of the metal sulphates are only a temporary fix. The moss will be back once the metals are neutralized. You need to correct the soil and environmental properties that are favorable to moss growth. In other words, improve soil drainage (ie, reduce soil wetness), reduce shade, improve soil fertility and increase the soil pH. A soil test is a good first step.

[ericjeeper]

This is not a shady area this is a wide open areas. poor soil sounds to be the culprit,
And I will say this is not short smooth moss , it is basically green film on the dirt.. some grows to maybe a quarter of an inch but mostly is just green dirt.
Some of us enjoy mowing a yard.I take a lot of pride in my yard and property.Thanks

[rambler]

Moss likes to move in on the condions Cabin Fever mentions. Grasses typically hate those same condions.

So, while you can spray for the moss, it will not be a 'good' fix of the problems.

Improving the soil, the ph, and the drainage issues will be _much_ better if you want a good lawn.

Spraying the moss killer will not get you to where you want to be - a good healthy full lawn.

There are some corn herbicides that will last in the soil for 3-4 years, hurting your new lawn seed. A possibility as well.

Forget about the moss & improve your soils for grass production. That will put your money into what you want. It will also remove the conditions that moss likes, and the problem will take care of itself.

The moss is no threat, not like a weed. It is simply filling up bare space that the grass doesn't like.

See the direction to go here? Fighting moss does not make a good lawn at all. Making a good enviornment for grass will.

--->Paul

[ericjeeper]

Thanks all. I was worried that the moss was fighting the grass, good clay does not drain well. and I am on a knob.. water has to run off, does not soak in well

[rambler]

I understand the clay knob issue _very_ well.

--->Paul

[woodspirit]

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Any of the metal sulphates are only a temporary fix. The moss will be back once the metals are neutralized. You need to correct the soil and environmental properties that are favorable to moss growth. In other words, improve soil drainage (ie, reduce soil wetness), reduce shade, improve soil fertility and increase the soil pH. A soil test is a good first step.

Ok you can ignore everything that everyone else has told you on here except what cabin fever has said. Aluminum sulphate is used to make soils more acid, although soil acidity is rarely the cause of mosses growing. Aluminum can build up in plants and soils to the point of becoming toxic. It will not leave the soil and it will build up. It is a metal. Albeit a man made non natural metal. Iron sulphate is also used to acidify soils but it is necessary to almost all life forms with the exception of octopuses which need copper. Also horseshoe crabs. Anyway, the iron that we need to survive we get doesn't stay in our systems. It needs to be replaced. Besides acidifying soils it also makes plants darker green. It is not fertilizer though.
Ok, now, copper sulphate. Copper is used on roofs to prevent moss, and in septic systems to kill roots, and on soil to kill moss.
What causes moss. Four things in any combination can cause moss.
1. Lack of sunlight
2. Poor drainage
3. Lack of soil fertility
4. Low ph
The spores of moss are always in the air. One moss plant will produce billions of spores. Do the math. It is everywhere. In our homes, cars, lungs, on our buildings, and anywhere there is bare soil. So when you kill weeds in your lawn and have a bare spot that wasn't seeded with grass seed, you have moss. Moss is a symptom of the above four. Now if you want to get rid of moss, and you will need to if want grass to grow, then you're going to have to rake up the dead moss, after you apply any moss killers. It is just as easy to rake up live moss as it is dead moss. As soon as you do, you need to cultivate the bare spots and reseed grass seed, and fertilize with 5-10-5 or any other starter fertilizers, but you'll find that 5-10-5 is cheaper. If the area gets any shade at all then you need to start pruning. Grass won't grow in shade, unless you water religiously, fertilize four times a year, and ressed every year. And then it will always be struggling.

[ericjeeper]

There is virtually no shade in the affected areas other than each morning early and evening late.. when the house structure makes shade.. Otherwise it is out in the wide open spaces. I will treat for the moss and till up the affected areas and fertilize and reseed.once spring arrives, if that day ever comes

[woodspirit]

I am sore today from raking up moss. To many wheelbarrows full to count. It comes up pretty easily right now because the ground is still frozen underneath it and it lifts up like a carpet. I love the moss up in the woods but not down where I need pasture.