Moss & Lawns

[redzap78]

What is the best way to get rid of patches off moss on lawns?

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

Moss is due to not enough sunshine. But moss is lovely, like walking on plush carpet.

[dpb]

While excess shade may be a contributing factor, many factors can cause poor grass vitality and thus moss...excessively compacted soil, poor drainage, too high or low soil pH, or simply poor soil in combination with one or more of the above can lead to moss.

Poor lawn maintenance practices such as too-short mowing, over-watering (combined with poor drainage/soil compaction/clay soils perhaps) can also play a part. Lawn grasses need N; many soils are lacking or have imbalanced pH such that it isn't available.

To get rid of the moss, find the underlying causes and fix them; else't it'll simply come back.

[redzap78]

The main cause was a long wet winter.

[songbird]

ignore it is by far the easiest. :)

what does it harm? nothing at all.

mow higher, use a mulching mower, do not remove clippings, reseed with a more shade tolerant grass and then top with a thin layer of compost to encourage worms - best done in the early to mid fall season (keep moist to sprout and get established).

avoid harsh chemical fertilizers and poisons which tend to kill off the worm population.

songbird