I hope this isn’t too off-topic for this community. I also posted this in !greenspace@beehaw.org so sorry to spam but I’m not sure which is the best place…
I have an old grass patch that I want to replace with Irish moss. Would love some advice on how!
Location: Seattle, USA.
Space: 15x12 foot section, partly under a laurel and a deciduous tree.
Soil: I’m not at all knowledgeable about soil, but heres what I know… It was originally just dirt with a on old lilac in it, then the lilac was replaced by grass, then 95% of the grass died during a construction project last year. Now it’s hard-packed soil and random tufts. It gets a small amount of leaves and other debris from the trees above it.
Sunlight: Direct sun for about half the day, then shaded by a house. Sunnier at one end than the other.
Questions:
- What organic material (if any) should I use to condition the soil? How should I apply it?
- I’ve read that 5-5-5 NPK fertilizer is good for Irish moss, but also that too much nitrogen is bad. Should I go lower nitrogen? How much fertilizer anyway?
- How often should I water? How thoroughly?
- I bought a small number of plugs to experiment in one corner before going all out. What’s the best way to fill in between them with seeds?
- Compost and just use a rake to spread it as evenly as possible to a depth of 1/2-1”
- I rarely use fertilizer so would skip it but if you do apply it then sprinkle it lightly around the moss and not directly on it and 5-5-5 is a good all purpose imo
- Depends but if you are planting 2” plugs in summer then daily or every other day and use enough water to soak down past the roots.
- Can’t help with this as I’ve never tried starting Irish moss from seed. Plants established quickly for me and typically doubled or tripled in one year.
