Sulphate of Iron has many uses in the lawn care industry. It can be used for moss control, discourage broadleaf weeds, discourage worms and harden the turf against disease. Many fertilisers contain Sulphate of Iron because of its benefits to the lawn as mentioned above. This product is available from most good garden centres and is relatively cheap to purchase.

Moss Control

The traditional treatment for moss control is a product called lawn sand which is normally applied in the spring when most lawns suffer from moss. Lawn sand contains Sulphate of Iron (which is the ingredient that kills the moss). The other ingredients of Lawn Sand are ammonium sulphate and sand. Lawn sand is applied in the spring time as the growth picks up; it usually takes about 10-14 days for the moss to die. The moss can then be raked out before a lawn renovation program can take place to aid recovery.

Worm Suppression

During the autumn and winter months when the conditions are wet worm casts can spoil fine turf lawns by creating muddy conditions. Because Sulphate of Iron has an acidifying affect on the surface of the lawn it helps to discourage worms, as worms don't like acid conditions.

By applying Sulphate of Iron every 4 - 6 weeks at a rate of 10g/m2 during periods of worm activity it will help reduce worm numbers thus reducing the number of worm casts.

Disease Prevention

The most common lawn disease is Fusarium Patch disease which is active during the autumn and winter months. This disease favours a turf surface that has a high pH; Sulphate of Iron lowers the pH of the turf surface. By lowering the pH it will help prevent this damaging lawn disease.

Applying this product every 4 - 6 weeks at 10g/m2 will help prevent any disease problems, and will also help with worm suppression and help keep moss from forming.

Application Methods

Sulphate of Iron is purchased in a powder form, it can be applied in this form or it can be dissolved in hot water and applied through a sprayer or a watering can.

Application by powder form is more difficult as it is difficult to apply evenly and also requires watering in afterwards.

When mixing Sulphate of Iron in water to apply it through a sprayer it is important to make sure it is mixed properly. If it is not mixed it can block sprayer nozzles and make application difficult. If you are not sure it is not mixed properly use a filter before filling the sprayer (a pair of tights stretched over a funnel is ideal for this).

Take care when mixing, as Sulphate of Iron can stain clothes or concrete path ways. If any solution is splashed onto your clothing wash them separately to other garments as it may contaminate them too.