How To Get Rid Of Moss In The Lawn Naturally

 

UGH! So spring is here and you’re back to staring at moss continuing to overtake your lawn. I know the feeling and I’m here to tell you you’re not alone. So, how do we stop moss from growing in the lawn naturally?

Let’s discuss that in today’s DIY project.

It’s not going to be easy work, but with a little grunting you’ll be able to rid your lawn of moss and regain that plush look you’re striving for.

Grab a rake, some grass seed, and let’s get busy!

Why Does Moss Grow On Lawns & How Do You Get Rid Of It?

First, we need to understand why moss grows in our lawn. It’s rather simple. moss thrives in damp areas where there is shade. Most likely you have trees overhead that block most of the day’s sunlight from reaching the ground.

It may also be on a lower area of your lawn. This is where the water collects and doesn’t evaporate so quickly because it’s a shady area.

Tree canopy + lower-grade areas = moss growth.

Read on to see how you can get the moss to stop growing on your lawn and how to prevent future moss growth.

Rake The Moss Out

Here comes the manual labor I was talking about. Grab your rake and get to it. Moss does not have deep roots, therefore can be raked off the surface of the ground with a little bit of muscle and elbow grease.

For larger areas you may want to try something a little less savory, like a moss killer. I don’t recommend this way as it’s not very safe for your pets. Especially if you have kitties who like chomping on the grass.

Luckily for most of us, we have a manageable size area of moss to remove and that can be done with a little hard work.

Rake the moss out using a metal bow lawn rake.

It’s best to rake in several directions to loosen the moss, then remove it. It can go right into your compost pile or off with the garbage if need be.

Lawn Mower Dethatching Blade

If you have more than a small patch and need something a little more robust to remove the moss, you can use a lawn mower dethatching blade. Get a dethatching blade that fits on your lawn mower and mow according to the instructions.

It will make removing the moss from your lawn easier and quicker, regardless of the amount of moss you have.

You can check Amazon to see if they have one that will fit your walk behind mower, or visit a home improvement store to see what they have for a selection.

Dethatching is usually done to remove the dead layers of grass between the healthy grass and soil. This gives your lawn breathing room and more room to pick up nourishment and grow healthy.

Usually, you’ll want to dethatch in spring or winter, but when it comes to taking out bothersome moss, you can dethatch any time of year.

Preventing Moss From Growing On Your Lawn

Now that we have raked out all the moss we can, let’s talk a little bit about preventing the moss from coming back. While you may not be able to do much, there are some things to consider and work towards.

Remember a few things. Moss loves dark and damp areas. So, sun and dry ground will help prevent growth.

Trim The Canopy

Once you’ve removed the moss from the surface, it’s time to thin the canopy above. Remove any dead limbs and thin the canopy if you can.

You may want to consult an arborist to aid in the decision of what should and should not be trimmed. You don’t want to kill a tree to save a patch of grass, after all.

Divert The Water

For a lot of us, this won’t be an option simply because of our landscapes. But, if at all possible, you want to divert water drainage and runoff to an area where the sun shines all day.

Doing so will help the water evaporate rather than sit stagnant and aid the growth of moss.

Planting Grass Seed

Once you’ve removed the moss, cleared the canopy overhead, and redirected the watershed away from the area you’re having issues with, you can plant new grass seed! I recommend Pennington Lawn Seed.

When I seed areas of a lawn I always double or triple the manufacturers’ recommendation on the bag.

When we put in our patio, we had a grass fiasco. We seeded the grass according to the recommendations on the bag. We spread hay over the top of the seed and watered it religiously per the instructions. The amount of grass that grew was embarrassingly low.

We ended up picking up all the hay by hand and then seeding again. This time we tripled the recommendation on the bag and it worked fine. Since then, I always double or triple up on grass seed whenever I’m on a lawn project.