How to Control Moss in Lawns
check_ux_article_product

How to Control Moss in Lawns

Moss is sure to become very prevalent during winter when conditions are wet, shady and cool enough to encourage growth.

Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants that typically form dense green clumps or mats, often in damp or shady locations, such as a wet, shaded lawn.

Individual Moss plants are usually composed of simple leaves that are about one cell thick, attached to a stem that may be branched or unbranched and whose only role is to conduct water and nutrients.

If your lawn’s underlying soil is compacted and clayey and doesn’t drain well, it can remain excessively wet after rainfall which is ideal for Moss growth.

How to Control Moss in Lawns

Feeding your lawn using a composite lawn feed that contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) is an option for controlling Moss as this encourages good lawn health. Apply some quality lawn fertiliser at the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Alternatively, if you want to control moss organically, you can apply a handful of bone meals per square metre to your lawn during winter- this is a good source of phosphorus for the soil.

In the spring, to organically control moss apply well-rotted, crumbly leaf compost or leave the clippings on the lawn every second time you cut the grass –  this method returns nitrogen to the soil.

Raking your lawn also helps to remove and control Moss as it pulls out all the dead vegetation and removes thatch (dead grass and weeds).

Removing Moss from a lawn with a Rake

Improving soil drainage through aeration is another key method and can be performed with either a hand fork or special shoe aerators which can be easily applied to your boots.

Aeration is an important part of maintaining a healthy lawn and allowing it to be porous enough for oxygen, water and nutrients to penetrate down to the root zone.

Summer, autumn, winter and spring are all times when aeration can occur to differing degrees.

Mixing water and dish soap and spraying the Moss with it, is also another method often used to kill Moss.

If none of the above work, use a Moss Killer that contains Iron Sulphate – ask your Local Garden Nursery for advice.

Your lawn’s soil may be deficient in iron and as Moss doesn’t like it an application of Iron Sulphate can cause the Moss to die off.

In the future, to prevent moss growth ensure good drainage by aerating your lawn and where possible remove shade cover.

Also, to prevent future Moss growth in your lawn perform a soil test to see if it needs lime to reduce soil acidity and encourage healthy growth.

Recommended Product

LawnPride Maintain Mini 26-2-9 + 3.4 Fe 20kg

Lawn Pride Maintain Mini 26-2-9 + 3.4 Fe 20kg is one of the most popular granular all-round lawn fertilisers on the market with the active ingredients of Nitrogen (N – 26), Phosphorus (P – 2), Potassium(K – 9) and Iron (Fe – 3.4). Suitable for Zoysia, Kikuyu, Couch and Buffalo grasses. Always read the safety directions and instructions on the product label before use.

SHOP NOW

Related Articles

What are Perennial Weeds?

Perennial Weeds are longer lived plants that can survive winter or regrow from roots, rhizomes or tubers in spring after a period of dormancy. Many weeds that grow from seed ...

Read More

What Are Annual Weeds?

Annual weeds are relatively short-lived plants that grow from seeds produced in the previous year. Their life cycle is usually restricted to one season during which they grow, ...

Read More

How to Remove Fleabane Weed from Your Lawn

A member of the daisy family, there are two main types of Fleabane weeds: Flaxleaf Fleabane and Tall Fleabane. They’re known by many different names, including Asthma Weed and ...

Read More

Your Guide to Lawn Weed Removal

A well-fed, healthy lawn that is regularly mowed at the correct height will be able to resist invasion by most weeds. Unfortunately, you can’t always control what happens ...

Read More

All You Need to Know about Pulling Weeds from Your Lawn

Weed control methods can be limited in some types of lawn. Soft Leaf Buffalo is more sensitive to a range of herbicides than other grasses, and new lawns are more vulnerable ...

Read More

Weed Pullers and Weed Wands: What Are They?

Weeds are a lawn lover’s worst nightmare. They can sneak in when you least expect it and left unchecked can quickly take over your pride and joy. This is where weed pullers ...

Read More

How to Remove Catsear Weed (hypochaeris radicata) from Your Lawn

Often mistaken for the English dandelion, catsear weeds can quickly ruin the aesthetic of your lush green garden oasis, with the appearance of yellow flowers in the middle of ...

Read More

How to Remove Cudweed from Your Lawn

A true broadleaf weed, cudweed is prevalent in winter lawns, when it grows vigorously and out-competes many grasses. Starting with one plant, it forms unsightly clumps that ...

Read More

How to Remove Dollarweed (Pennywort) from Your Lawn

Dollarweed, also known as pennywort, is a nuisance: this water-loving weed can spread quickly and can be difficult to eradicate once it becomes established in your lawn. ...

Read More

How to Remove Thistle Weeds from Your Lawn

Although recognised as the national flower of Scotland, thistles are in fact considered weeds in most parts of Australia. Like most broadleaf weeds, they present a problem for ...

Read More