EXCLUSIVE: Moss removal is a top priority for many Irish homeowners this spring, but expert Peter Dowdall warns there is one mistake people make when trying to rid it from their lawn
Liam McInerney Content Editor
04:00, 28 Apr 2026
Peter Dowdall shared his tips (Image: )
An expert gardener has revealed the most frequently asked question he’s receiving at the moment — and it concerns how to get rid of moss from lawns.
Peter Dowdall, who is fondly referred to as The Irish Gardener, explained that moss is a recurring problem across Ireland due to the climate being both damp and warm — two conditions that the resilient flowerless plants thrive in.
With spring now in full swing, many homeowners are keen to tackle moss growth, particularly after mowing their grass, but Peter stressed that simply applying a quick-fix product to the lawn should not be the go-to solution.
Speaking exclusively to this reporter, he said: “What I do like to avoid, most moss killing or moss treatment products that you get in garden centres are based on sulphate iron.
“I don’t like to use sulfated iron in the treatment of moss because of what it does. It does turn the moss black and kills it, but it works by acidifying the soil so it decreases the PH of the soil, and what that does is it creates the ideal conditions for moss to come back because moss likes a low PH.”
Peter Dowdall is known as The Irish Gardener (Image: @the_irish_gardener/Instagram)
Peter went on to clarify that moss is typically a symptom of what lies beneath the grass, and that compacted soil — which is particularly prevalent in new-build properties — leads to poor drainage, ultimately creating the perfect environment for moss to flourish.
Regarding what people should do if removing moss matters to them, Peter recommended: “First of all you scarify the lawn, which is really like a mechanical rake, it is just physically removing the moss and the patch from the surface of the lawn.
“Once you have done that then, you try and improve the soil structure by erasing it so erasing it really is just creating many tiny tiny little holes in the top two inches of the soil and you can either leave those holes open or you can push grit or sand into them to help with drainage – this will certainly help.”
That said, he acknowledged that the above is a yearly task if you’re determined to consistently maintain a moss-free lawn.
He then raised the question of whether we actually need to dislike moss and whether it’s essential for gardens to be entirely weed-free.
Scarifying is an ecologically friendly moss removal method, according to Peter Dowdall (Image: Getty Images)
Peter, who has tended to Irish gardens for more than 30 years, explained that moss offers benefits for various reasons, including purifying the air.
Wrapping up his thoughts on moss, he stated: “If you want a perfect moss free lawn, I am not going to judge, but it is just important you do it in an ecologically sound way without using chemicals and do it in the way I have described there.”
He suggested our obsession with moss-free lawns could be attributed to years of clever marketing, before laughing: “We are giving ourselves hours of more work every year, days more work every year, and really, if the lawn is just something that you are happy to look out on and for it to be green, maybe moss isn’t a huge problem, and maybe have a moss lawn and get rid of the grass!”
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