Clint Waltz, turfgrass Extension specialist, shared tips with Southern Living about how to get rid of moss in lawns.
“It’s opportunistic. Moss doesn’t compete with the turf for water and nutrients, but it’s there because conditions are not favorable for grass to grow,” Waltz said. “Moss typically is found in shady lawns and also is more common in older, mature landscapes that have been in place 10 or 15 years, not new lawns.”
It can come and go, and getting rid of it isn’t easy.
“Moss leaves spores behind, so it can be a temporary or seasonal problem that occurs when environmental conditions are right,” Waltz said.
Key tips in checking your soil pH, plating shade-tolerant grasses and groundcovers, trimming trees and shrubs, cutting back on irrigation and fixing drainage issues.
“If you don’t alter the underlying cultural conditions that are favorable to moss, it’s only going to be a temporary solution,” Waltz said. “The moss will be back when conditions are right.”