How to Remove Moss from Lawn

Mosses are small plants that form a habitat for small invertebrates. Most mosses are harmless native plants and part of a natural vegetative chain. They cover bare ground and prevent soil erosion. Moss does not kill the grass but can invade the lawn if the grass has already begun to die. To remove moss, you need to use physical and possibly chemical methods. In recent years, many homeowners and gardeners prefer to let moss grow for its beauty and to limit the use of chemicals around the house. A perfect lawn can have moss, and this is nothing to complain about! But if you can’t stand the sight of moss growing on your lawn, read on.

Table of Contents

Remove moss by physical and chemical methods

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Remove loose moss by tilling the soil. ^{[1] X Research Source} Tilling, also known as raking, is the process of digging up a lawn to remove loose mosses and compacted organic matter.

If the lawn is small, you can do it manually. Just rake well and vigorously to dislodge the moss. The spring-toothed rake has a good effect.
For large lawns, you should use a lawn mower with a lawn mower. Adjust the height so that the tiller’s teeth touch the ground but not too low to avoid uprooting the grass. You can dig the soil all over the lawn and throw away any moss you’ve plowed up.
If you have a large lawn, you should also rent a lawn mower. This type of machine has a rotating shaft attached to a flat tiller blade for raking grass. You can rent machines at gardening centers.
The tilling is especially necessary if you have previously used herbicides to kill moss or weaken it. You need to wait for the amount of time recommended on the package before plowing the soil.

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Try the herbicide glyphosate. The herbicide glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide on the market but can lead to opposite results when you use it to kill moss. ^{[2] X Research Source}

This chemical is absorbed through the leaves of the plant and moves into the roots.
The exact conditions under which glyphosate is effective against mosses is unknown. However, for best results, this medication should only be used if no other plant species may be affected.
As with any herbicide, you need to carefully follow the directions on the package.

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Use an ferrous sulfate or other sulfate herbicide. This herbicide is less common but has a higher success rate when used to kill moss. Iron sulfate is most commonly recommended, but ammonium sulfate and copper sulfate herbicides are also effective.

Iron weakens and dies or makes manual moss removal easier.
Spray 20 liters of mixture for an area of 300 m2. Mix 90 ml of ferrous sulfate with 20 liters of water.
If using copper sulfate, you need to mix 60-150 ml with every 16 liters of water and spray over an area of 300 m2.
Always follow the directions on the medicine label.

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Consider using soap that kills moss. Cryptocidal soap products kill moss on contact. This chemical will bleach the color of moss, turn it into a yellow-white color and should only be used sparingly.

This soap is not harmful to sidewalks and other structures.
For best results, you should use this product in dry weather, when moss is at its weakest.
Use according to the instructions on the product label. Nitrogen fertilizers applied correctly and at the right time will help increase the density of peat. Fall and spring are both good times to fertilize.

Remove favorable habitat for moss

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Plant perennials and shade-loving plants. Grasses don’t thrive in shady areas, but moss does the opposite. If you can’t control the amount of shade on your lawn, plant flowers and other plants that can thrive in the shade to prevent moss growth.

Shade-loving plants include passionflower, coral bellflower, hosta, snow rose, fern, hydrangea, pulmonaria and tiarella. ^{[3] X Research Sources} Some other flowers and shrubs also do well in the shade. Next time you go to a plant store or nursery, look for shade-loving plants.

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Let the sunlight shine on the lawn. Moss usually grows well in the shade, but most common grass varieties do not. If you want to keep your lawn lush, think about clearing obstacles in your yard so that sunlight can shine on your lawn.

Leave piles of firewood, bricks, or other clutter in a storage area like a garage or garden shed.
When building a new shed, you should consider the location so that the shadow of the building does not cover the lawn.
Prune large trees and bushes to let light in.

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Avoid over-watering the lawn. Moss thrives in areas with high humidity. If your lawn isn’t lush for other reasons and is prone to moss invasion, over-watering will only make moss grow faster.

In particular, you should avoid watering the lawn at night in early fall or spring, which is also the time when moss grows the most.
If your lawn is often wet, try improving drainage by changing the slope of the lawn, tilling, raking, or making drainage lines below ground.

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Water enough to keep the lawn lush. While too much humidity will create favorable conditions for moss to grow, too low humidity can also weaken the grass and make it easier to overwhelm the moss.

When the lawn is too dry, the grass will wilt, weaken and will not respond well to rain or dampness, as a result moss will grow faster, and the grass will continue to die even with rain.

Maintenance for a greener lawn

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Prevent lawn damage. Almost everyone likes to have a nice lawn, but if you treat it roughly, the grass will be noticeably damaged. When the grass starts to die, you will see more moss growing in.

The lawn will be damaged if you play sports, ride a bike on the lawn and let the dog dig in the lawn.
In addition, the larvae of the longlegged fly can also cause damage to the lawn. You should find a way to kill or repel longlegged flies if there are many species of these insects in your area.
Other insects such as weevils, moths and ants can also become lawn problems. If you’re in the US, you can check out the US Department of Agriculture website to find information that reports pest risk and control in your area.

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Aerate the soil. The soil on the lawn for a long time will be compacted so that air, water and fertilizer cannot reach the grass roots, as a result, the grass will die and moss will grow. You can control and prevent this by aerating the soil, especially when the soil is dry.

You can borrow, rent or buy a soil aerator. This type of machine will tattoo holes into the lawn and dig up soil cores that are less than 2.5 cm wide.
When the soil cores are removed, just enough voids are left to allow the soil to be loose.
You should try to do this at least twice a year, once at the beginning of the growing season and once at the end of the season.

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Rake the lawn regularly. The tilling method will disturb the lawn more deeply than the aeration method. If you already aerate the soil regularly, you won’t need to dig as much. However, if moss grows a lot, you should also dig more soil.

For best results, you should rake your lawn every two years in the spring.
The grass rake will dig down into the lawn and pull up most surface vegetation rather than plants growing deep in the soil. The surface of the soil is where moss grows, so mowing the lawn can prevent moss from growing.

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Sow grass seeds in bare areas. If there are areas where grass is sparse, you should plant seeds to prevent moss growth and improve lawn quality.

Consider growing shade-tolerant grass varieties such as ryegrass, buffalotail, roughstalk bluegrass, and bentgrass. You can also buy prepackaged grass seed mix labeled “sun-shade”.
Spread a layer of loose soil or sand about 0.6 cm thick on the newly sown grass seed and keep it moist until the young grass takes root.

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Fertilize the lawn. Moss can creep into the lawn if the soil is barren. Poor soil also means that the grass is not provided with enough nutrients to thrive. Periodic fertilization of the lawn is the best way to improve this condition.

You can bring a soil sample where the moss grows to a professional lawn care service for analysis. Often, however, moss growth in dry, sunny areas of the lawn is a sign that a lawn problem is caused by low soil fertility.
Use fertilizers with high nitrogen content, adequate potassium and iron content.
Fertilizer will be most effective when applied four times per year: spring, late spring, mid summer and early fall. You should fertilize on schedule each season for the best results.

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Lime for agricultural use. Lime works to control acidity in the soil. Moss usually grows when the acidity in the soil begins to interfere with the supply of nutrients to the grass, and moss has a chance to grow in.

Using calcium-based lime is best.
Check the pH in the soil. A neutral pH between 6.5-7 is ideal for lawns. A pH below 6 means the soil is acidic, a pH above 7 is alkaline.
Only use lime to treat acidic soil, do not fertilize alkaline soil.
Lime the lawn twice in each growing season if the analysis shows that the soil is acidic. You should fertilize after tilling and aerating the soil, leaving the cores just dug above the ground; Gradually the soil cores will dissolve, helping to retain moisture as well as nutrients in the soil.

Things you need

Digger machine
Ventilator
Herbicide or moss-killing soap
Plants love shade
Fertilizer
Seeds of grass that can live in the shade
Lime used in agriculture
Soil pH test kit

Steps

Remove moss by physical and chemical methods

Remove favorable habitat for moss

Maintenance for a greener lawn

Things you need

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