The Best Lawn Care Practices For Controlling Moss In Your Yard

While moss can look whimsical and gorgeous when walking through the forests of the Pacific Northwest, it doesn't always look great in your lawn. Although some people use moss as a convenient no-mow alternative to grass, it definitely isn't something that everyone wants on their property. And, unfortunately, if you have a moss problem in your yard, it can be difficult to get rid of since it tends to grow in areas where grass struggles. To solve this problem, we reached out to Ryan Walts, the training manager and business coach at The Lawn Squad, for some expert advice.

According to Walts, "One of the best ways to control moss begins with implementing good cultural practices on the lawn. Practices such as proper mowing, watering, fertilization, and pest control can help establish and maintain a healthy, thick stand of lawn grass and reduce ideal moss growing conditions." As Walts wisely puts it, "A healthier and thicker lawn will do a better job of outcompeting moss than a weak or thin lawn will."

This is important because most people tend to overwater and over-mow their lawns in an effort to better care for them; however, in reality, they are just making their grass weaker. Instead, you should replace watering your lawn every day with watering your grass deeply once or twice a week. Furthermore, the best mowing technique to control weeds, like moss, is to let your grass grow longer. But, what if you already know this?

If you already water and mow your lawn properly, Walts also has other recommendations for getting rid of the moss in your yard. "Aerating the lawn can also be a highly beneficial practice to help aid in controlling moss," he explains. "Moss tends to thrive in areas where there is little air movement and where surface moisture is prevalent. The process of aeration helps to open the soil, reducing compaction and allowing surface water to move more freely down into the soil profile and away from the surface." If you want to make your yard really thrive, Walts has another suggestion. "Adding overseed to the lawn while aerating is also a practice that can be used to help maintain a thick lawn that is able to outcompete the moss."

On top of the idea of aeration helping with air movement and drainage, Walts points out that, "Along with wet conditions, moss is also a fan of shade or mostly shady conditions. Practices such as removing or regularly trimming trees or ornamental plants that cast large amounts of shade can be beneficial in allowing more natural light to get to the lawn." If all else fails, you may have to turn to products specifically geared towards moss removal. "Products containing ferrous sulfate are often used as not only a way to control moss, but also to help green up the lawn," notes Walts. "Additionally, chemical control products such as Quicksilver are also available as a method of moss control." For more information on the best lawn care practices check out the The Lawn Squad.