"Rod" wrote in message
ups.com...
On 27 Feb, 09:39, "Rupert \(W.Yorkshire\)"
wrote:
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message

...

I have a lot of moss in my 'lawn'. It gets worse every time I scarify
it! Clearly there's an underlying problem such as compacted soil that
I need to address in the fullness of time (I have aquired a
hollow-tine aerator for the purpose). In the interim, I'm thinking of
lawn sand to kill the moss. Prof. Alan Gemmell (sp?) of GQT fame many
years ago, had a recipe for lawn sand involving ferrous sulphate. Can
anyone remember the recipe? Is it worth making my own, or is
commercial stuff with modern chemicals more effective these days?

--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Chris - depending on your definition or age lawn sand is just a mixture
of
Ferrous Sulphate with a diluent such as sharp sand. Most versions now
contain a bit of Nitrogen containing stuff, such as Ammonium nitrate.
You can make your own,but I doubt that it is still legal to prepare your
own
products for garden use. In any event mixing these three ingredients is a
pain. Expect an armed visit from the authorities if you start to actively
seek out pure Ammonium nitrate:-)
Save your money and get the drainage right first and then perhaps use a
bit
of lawn sand, ready made.

The recipe we used in the seed shop I worked in for a short time in
the 1960s had Ammonium sulphate instead of 'Nitram', the one we were
given for City & Guilds was similar. If you mix a lot of the dry
ingredients your teeth will be stained black (temporarily) by the
Ferrous Sulphate.


Yes ammonium sulphate is the normal nitrogen source particularly these days.
We used to mix the nitrate as it required less material to get the right
amount of nitrogen. I guess the black teeth came from the alkaline saliva
reacting with iron to give that black iron oxide.
Happy times --not acceptable these days--Health & Safety.
I must admit to getting and irresistible urge to withdraw into a locked room
and participate in a bit of illicit mouth pipetting of sulphuric acid:-)