Clint Waltz, Extension turfgrass specialist in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ crop and soil sciences department, spoke with Southern Living about the best ways to remove moss from 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.”
A moss problem can come and go depending on certain factors.
“Moss leaves spores behind, so it can be a temporary or seasonal problem that occurs when environmental conditions are right,” said Waltz.
Moss favors cool, wet conditions with high humidity. More than one factor usually contributes to moss growth so it may take some work to figure out the cause.
While ridding a lawn of moss isn’t a quick or easy task, Waltz has a series of tips to assist in learning what may be encouraging moss growth.
Homeowners can get a soil test to check the pH of their soil. If the soil’s pH is within the range of 6.0 to 6.5, you can add lime to raise the pH and make the soil more conducive to growing grass instead of moss.
If the lawn is shady, consider planting a more shade-tolerant type of grass so the moss does not have space to grow. Or, consider trimming trees and shrubs to allow more light to reach the area or plant shade-tolerant groundcovers if grass won’t grow in the area.
The lawn may be too moist, making the soil suitable for moss. Waltz recommended cutting back on irrigation and fixing poor drainage issues to get rid of excessive moisture.
Waltz warned that moss can be removed, but that won’t solve the problem.
“If you don’t alter the underlying cultural conditions that are favorable to moss, it’s only going to be a temporary solution,” he said. “The moss will be back when conditions are right.”
Though homeowners may want to be rid of moss, it isn’t noxious or invasive so it’s not going to overtake your entire garden. However, it can be a potential safety hazard when wet, so be wary when allowing it to grow in walkways.
