How to Get Rid of Moss in your Lawn

Does your lawn have patches of moss growing alongside the grass? If so, all is not lost! Although a mossy lawn can often be a sign that something is not right, the problem can often be fixed, and you can prevent the moss coming back with a few changes to your regular lawn care routine.

Is Moss Growth a Problem?

Having moss in your lawn is not unhealthy and does not attract pests. However, it does suggest that your grass may be struggling.

Some experts recommend growing a moss lawn instead of grass. If this is something you are interested in, it's likely to be a success if you already have mossy patches as that shows you have the perfect conditions for moss to grow.

For more information on moss lawns, see the last part of this post.

How to Remove Moss

Step One: Find the Cause

If you want to remove that pesky lawn moss and grow a lush, healthy lawn, the first step is to find out what is causing moss growth. This is important because, otherwise, you could remove the moss, only to have a moss-infested lawn once more a few weeks later. Here are some common factors that allow moss to grow in lawns:

• Acidic soil. Moss needs a soil pH level of 5-5.5. Most grass types prefer a soil pH of 6-7. If you're not sure, you can get your soil tested to find out the pH. Lime application can increase the pH and make it less acidic.
• Shade. Moss typically grows in shady areas. You're most likely to find it around the edges of the lawn, in the shade of fences, walls or buildings. Some varieties of grass do grow happily in shady areas; another alternative is to create a landscape bed specifically for shade-loving plants in these areas.
• Compacted soil. Compacted soil can cause poor drainage. The resulting waterlogged conditions are the perfect environment for moss to grow. Aerating the soil and adding organic matter are two methods to reduce soil compaction.
• Mowing too short. Using the lawn mower on too low a setting can damage grass blades, leaving them unable to thrive. More space is also available for moss to move in.

Step Two: Remove the Moss

Scarifying

Once you've figured out what's causing the moss in your lawn and have an idea of how to fix the problem, it's time to physically remove that moss.

One effective method for small areas is to scarify the lawn using a sharp-tined rake. This will allow you to physically remove clumps of moss without causing damage to grass roots. You probably already have a leaf rake with your garden tools. Simply apply the rake vigorously and from different directions until the shallow roots of the moss are pulled up.

A dethatching blade attached to a lawn mower is another way to remove moss. Be sure to adjust the mower height so that the blade is just touching the top of the soil.

If these steps have successfully removed all the moss, it's time to refresh your lawn and take care of the issues that allowed moss to grow in the first place.

Chemical Moss Killer

If there is still moss left, or if you have a large area of lawn to cover, you may want to consider using moss killer. Various targeted products are available; iron sulfate is one of the most common. These chemical moss killers claim to remove moss in lawns without affecting lawn grasses.

Moss killer, available at a range of garden stores, can be applied in liquid form with a garden sprayer or as granules with a spreader.

Benefits of using lawn moss killer:

• Quick results. Most chemical moss killers can provide an immediate improvement in appearance by removing visible moss very quickly.
• Targeted use. If applied as directed, many moss killers can get rid of moss while leaving the healthy grass around it unaffected.

Disadvantages of chemical moss killers:

• Short-term solution. As with physical moss removal methods, the root cause of the problem still needs to be tackled to prevent moss coming back. While chemical moss killers can be immediately effective, they are not a permanent solution.
• Potential damage to plants or surfaces. If not used with care, chemical moss killers can cause damage to grass or other plants. Ferrous sulfate, a common moss killer, can permanently stain patios or other surfaces.
• Environmental concerns. If moss killer is washed away by rain or irrigation it can be damaging to aquatic life.

Step Three: Fix the Problem

Now the moss is gone, it's important to address the factors that allowed it to grow in the first place. Here are some helpful lawn maintenance steps to prevent regrowth of moss:

• Check soil pH. Use a home soil test kit, or get help from a professional landscaper or your county Extension office. If you have acid soil, adding lime can improve soil conditions for grass and make the environment less ideal for moss.
• Prune trees and shrubs. If the mossy areas of your lawn are in the shade, consider pruning trees or shrubs to allow more sunlight to shine through. This will improve conditions for healthy grass and make it harder for moss to grow.
• Aerate soil. Aerating your soil, by creating small holes, can reduce compaction and make drainage easier. Another option is to amend the soil with organic matter. Both of these methods improve soil drainage, making conditions less ideal for moss.

Step Four: Lawn Care Routine

Once you have removed the moss, and dealt with the conditions that allowed it to grow, it's a good idea to develop a regular lawn care routine. This will help your lawn to grow thick and healthy. If conditions are ideal for healthy grass, it means the environment is less favorable for moss.

Should I Grow a Moss Lawn?

If you like the mossy look and are after an alternative groundcover that is both easy to care for and environmentally friendly, growing a moss lawn may be a good option for you.

There are many benefits to growing a moss lawn, including:

• Minimal irrigation needs, as moss naturally retains water
• Natural resistance to pests
• Moss typically grows in poor soil, so fertilizer is not needed
• Moss slowly absorbs water, which makes it great at dealing with rainfall runoff that might damage or wash away grass; this is particularly true on sloped surfaces
• No need to mow: this makes life easier, and also saves all the CO2 emitted by the lawn mower (gas-powered garden tools can have surprisingly high emission levels)

However, moss lawns have their disadvantages too. These include:

• Moss can be tricky to grow in a sunny climate like Florida's because it typically grows in shady areas and doesn't do well with many hours of sunlight
• Moss is not ideal for areas with heavy foot traffic as it is less durable than grass
• It can be a challenge to source moss as it is less readily available than lawn turf or grass seed

If you're based in Florida, and you're looking for a lawn alternative, you may want to consider perennial peanut. This native plant thrives in Florida's climate, unlike moss, and provides an environmentally friendly turf alternative.

If you'd like help with your regular lawn care routine or with planning out an alternative lawn, or even a whole new landscape, get in touch with our lawn care experts at LawnMore Gainesville.

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