Controlling Moss Growth On Your Lawn

Moss growth is one of the biggest pet peeves for budding gardeners, so the control of it is what matters most when it comes to having a flawless lawn! The greatest inconvenience with moss growth is that it doesn’t just hinder a gardener’s ability to improve conditions for their precious plants. It also prevents grass from flourishing in the forefront of any unwanted plants. So, this is where moss will find its home, in damp, shaded conditions, out the way of any competition and soil disturbance!
In this post, we will discuss the best tips to help control the growth of moss on your lawn and how to easily achieve them in no time!
 

Trim Back Overhanging Plants

The first simple step to help combat the growth of moss on your lawn is by letting the sun in and trim back any overhanging plants that are not needed. This is because moss loves to grow in any shade it can find, so avoiding shade and encouraging sunlight will do your lawn a world of good! Not to mention that the more sunlight on your lawn, the healthier the grass!
The best way to do this is to trim existing trees and shrubs in your garden. If you are a little less experienced with gardening, then start by choosing privacy plants that catch just small bits of shade rather than large. Silver birch is a great lawn-friendly tree which features light, delicate leaves, making shade and moss minimal!
 

Keep Your Lawn Well Fed

It’s evident that hungry grass means weak grass..and a hungry lawn means the intrusion of moss, weeds and other diseases! You wouldn’t let your plants go without food, so why make your lawn go without? We all know that we experience some dull winters here in the UK so giving your lawn a good feed will restore it after winter and prepare it in time for spring and summer. This way, you’re avoiding the annoyance of moss appearing.
 

Mow Your Lawn

The next step is to simply mow your lawn! This may seem like something obvious that everyone does to care for their garden, but it doesn’t mean it’s done the right way. In fact, most of us like the convenience of mowing the grass as short as possible to avoid having to mow again any time soon, but this isn’t convenient for what is living in your garden! You should try and aim for a lawn no shorter than 5 centimetres.
This is because cutting plants to the bare minimum is just like starving them. They use their leaves to absorb the rays of the sun in order to create their own food. The sun, partnered with the nutrients you feed your lawn, is what help grass and other plants healthy and tenacious. This way, there’s no doubt that they’ll be able to overrule the moss before it gets comfy on your lawn! 
 

Scarify Your Lawn

Scarification is the removal of organic matter from around the stem in order to maintain a healthy growing environment for the grass or plant. When we say organic matter, we mean moss! Even though this organic matter can be seen as Mother nature’s way of producing more soil, it doesn’t mean that it can all be cleaned up by the creatures living in your garden. Therefore, a good clean is the quickest way to do this! 
In fact, leaving un-useful debris, such as thatch, is what traps water in. This will create the ideal damp, saturated environment for moss to grow!
 

Deal With Soil Compaction

Soil compaction is really straightforward to test and deal with. Simply stick a screwdriver into the soil and if it inserts easily, then you’re good to go. On the other hand, if the screwdriver is a chore to get in the soil, you will want to do something about it!
The ideal way to deal with soil compaction is through aeration – this pierces holes into the soil, allowing air and water to create more of a structure. This leads to the removal of the moss-loving environment in your garden!
 

Choose The Right Type Of Grass

Choosing the right type of grass is crucial, because what’s the point in creating a beautiful, enriched garden if you don’t have the grass to match it? Some grasses are more prone to shade than others, so it’s best to avoid these and focus on choosing a type of grass that loves sunlight. Therefore, you’re not encouraging the growth of moss. 
After you’ve scarified your lawn, overseeding is great in order to repair any bare patches in the grass. Alternatively, if your lawn is compacted and completely shielded with moss, it’s best to start fresh. This can be done by installing new turf. A place we recommend to buy good quality turf is from Turf Online. They sell a wide range of products, from species-rich turf to shaded lawn seed, which is perfect for maintaining those areas of your lawn that moss will intrude the most!
 

Show That Moss Who’s Boss!

There you have it! Now that you know how to keep the moss growth on your lawn under control, it’s time to get to it. With these hints, tips and advice, you’ll be able to get your lawn looking pristine once again. So what are you waiting for? Get out there!
 

Gardening course for beginners from GardenAdvice

One day gardening courses especially created for beginners run in your own garden by the GardenAdvice expert gardeners. Available as a gift voucher for the gardener in your life. Become a gardener with the GardenAdvice Gardening Course. If you are new to gardening it can all seem a bit complicated at first with all the Latin names and the gardening terminology. GardenAdvice.co.uk have developed a especially designed short one day course to be able to teach you all the basic skills of gardening to get you started. The courses in your own garden cover such basic skills as pruning, correct digging methods, growing your own shrubs and creating the perfect lawn. See some of our clients our gardening course and our MyGardenTeam service on Instagram and the client section on the GardenAdvice website. For further information visit or gardening courses section.