# Lawn Recovery - Seattle Moss vs. Me



## Mudokon (Jun 7, 2017)

Got a new house in October of last year, mowed the lawn since it was kind of long and left it over winter: BAD idea.

Come spring the MOSS here in Seattle had taken over huge portions of the lawn, very wet and dark the whole fall and winter!

So I started looking online about killing the moss, I tried several grain moss killers and it seemed to work, but then I switched to liquid and you could see the moss change to black, but then I had a REALLY ugly problem, tons of moss and no strong grass.

So I started watching GRASS DADDY videos and other videos online telling me how to recover my lawn, first things first - dethatch with a rake, try to get as much as I can up and out of the lawn before seeding and PEAT MOSS'ing the whole back.

Here is the thatched lawn, several passes with a rake (didn't want to pay for gas powered, but I would have afterwards if I had known how hard it would be):


http://imgur.com/Jmkv1


Then seeding with sun and shade Scotts seeds and lay down the peat moss everywhere!

3 weeks later and the grass that was still alive is really long so I do a 3 1/2 inch mow and fertilize the new seedings that are coming through, here it is at 3 week mark:


http://imgur.com/y6gT8


Next up:

August and October - AERATE then overseed and peat moss any bare spots that didnt take.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I moved this thread over here to the cool season subforum - a better fit.

Welcome to the TLF! :thumbup:


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## Mudokon (Jun 7, 2017)

awesome thanks!


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## LIgrass (May 26, 2017)

Good progress. Just be careful with aerating because it brings up weed seeds. Core aerating is usually not needed in most instances. In shady/damp areas (where moss is usually found) there's also the possibility of poa trivialis stolons lurking. Another trick to killing moss is spraying it with dish detergent or spray iron.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Moss is typically an indication of another problem, poor drainage. I would not add peat moss to an area that already has moss. Seattle area is definitely a different climate than what I'm used to helping folks in forums. To really be able to help without a wild guess means that we need a soil test (most folks use Logan's lab $25). The soil test will tell the pH and organic matter in your soil. Collect samples from the 3 to 4in of your soil for the test.

When it rains, does water collect in the yard? For how long ? Is you yard flat or it has a slope?


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## Mudokon (Jun 7, 2017)

g-man said:


> Moss is typically an indication of another problem, poor drainage. I would not add peat moss to an area that already has moss. Seattle area is definitely a different climate than what I'm used to helping folks in forums. To really be able to help without a wild guess means that we need a soil test (most folks use Logan's lab $25). The soil test will tell the pH and organic matter in your soil. Collect samples from the 3 to 4in of your soil for the test.
> 
> When it rains, does water collect in the yard? For how long ? Is you yard flat or it has a slope?


Yeah so lots of rain in fall winter and spring, then super dry during the summer.

Our lawn DOES slope into a "pit" in the center unfortunately, and due to the clay underneath it just turns into mud.

I thought about doing a soil test, since moss is rampant in ALL of Seattle area.

My whole left side of my backyard WAS moss until i raked it and reseeded and put peat moss over it. It really helped!

Its a constant battle, but from what Ive read of others, they just hit it with lime and make sure the grass is strong to combat it.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Mudokon said:


> Our lawn DOES slope into a "pit" in the center unfortunately, and due to the clay underneath it just turns into mud.
> 
> Its a constant battle, but from what Ive read of others, they just hit it with lime and make sure the grass is strong to combat it.


You really need to address the pit. Could you add soil to the pit? or a french trench to drain the water? Grass helps via absorbing the extra moisture, but draining it out is faster and better long term.


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## Mudokon (Jun 7, 2017)

g-man said:


> Mudokon said:
> 
> 
> > Our lawn DOES slope into a "pit" in the center unfortunately, and due to the clay underneath it just turns into mud.
> ...


AGREED, i had a landscaping company come in and give me 3 quotes on what they could do to fix it:

1) Mitigate drainage - remove sod, add drain rock and cover with fabric, add top soil and plant grass seed. $4,330
2)Create "Dry" Riverbed - add blend of drain rock and larger river rock, add soil and add plants. $6,500
3) Expand Lawn - Remove rockery and rebuild on far side of lawn, install drain rock and fabric, import 40 cubic yard sof soil, install 1200 sq ft of sod. $12,000

So as you can see, nothing "cheap" of a fix, because that "pit" is the lowest point, theres no french draining option.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Ouch. That's expensive. For that money, make the pit a lake or pool . Do you have quotes from another company?

I'm trying to image the pit and your lawn. It all drains to the middle?


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## Mudokon (Jun 7, 2017)

g-man said:


> Ouch. That's expensive. For that money, make the pit a lake or pool . Do you have quotes from another company?
> 
> I'm trying to image the pit and your lawn. It all drains to the middle?


Right!

Picture :


http://imgur.com/Me6XU


Right behind that bush in the center, that dips down and is the mud pit.

My brother in-law actually suggested putting down gravel and some stones and make it a firepit!


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