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Each month, receive tips on the top jobs needed in your garden as well as a wealth of information on a range of gardening topics. From sowing seeds to picking fruit, each month get access to information on the care and maintenance of your flowerbeds, vegetable plot and lawn. As with your own gardening diary, the journal is split into separate sections, each covering a different area of garden care.

Wednesday 1 February 2017

Lawn Care: Questions and Answers

Q. A question that pops up every year is: How do I deal with worm casts and can I get rid of the worms?

A. Many types of earthworm are a valuable part of the garden but the cast-forming type are a nuisance and are not efficient soil aerators. Unfortunately, there are no pesticides presently available to the home owner that will kill worms. Raking away casts is the immediate action. Products containing sulphur such as Cast Clear reduce the soil pH which can help reduce the problem by moving the worms on.

2 comments:

  1. When is the best time to seed the patches in my lawn left by the removal of moss. And also the best method?

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  2. The best time to repair bare patches after moss treatment/removal would be spring and autumn. That said, many gardeners do sow in winter months but ideally the ground should be 6C although Johnsons do a grass seed called ‘Anytime’ which is composed of three types of rye and that will germinate at 2-3C. Some grass seed such as fescues will rot if they are left in cold wet ground. Come spring you could use Evergreen Multi Purpose or Evergreen Fast Grass for a quick result. Rake the area level and scatter the seed at the rates shown on the pack. Cover lightly with top soil or compost (and a little sharp sand if you wish) to stop the seed being blown by wind and help limit the birds feeding on it. If it’s warm and dry then water in. If you have a heavy infestation of moss then you may need to scarify and aerate the area. Alternatively there is an organic fertiliser called MO Bacter that ingests moss without leaving the black mess to be cleaned up.

    We wish you well with your lawn
    The Gardener’s Journal

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