7 Tips To Prevent Moss From Growing In Your Yard

Unwanted moss doesn't just ruin the appearance of your lawn. It's also a sign that the conditions in your backyard aren't ideal for the lush grass you want to grow. Moss thrives in conditions where most other plants struggle, especially turfgrass. Moist, shaded, nutrient-poor soil creates a perfect environment for moss. Although moss won't kill your grass, it will quickly fill in any areas where grass won't sprout. As a result, your lawn looks patchy. Once moss takes over a lawn, manual removal becomes tedious. Chemical treatments are effective, but they won't kill moss spores, which almost ensures the pesky plant grows back.

Several tips and tricks make it simple to avoid commonly overlooked reasons why moss is growing in your lawn. They also help you maintain a backyard full of thick, lush grass. The best treatment for unwanted moss is prevention. You can improve soil drainage, keep your lawn well-fertilized, and expose your yard to more sunlight, among other easy methods.

Moss thrives in shady conditions where other plants, like turfgrass, struggle to grow. Most grasses need about six hours of direct sunlight each day. If large trees or bushes are preventing your lawn from getting that much-needed sunlight, consider pruning or removing them to prevent moss from growing. Allow grass to regrow in any bare spots in your lawn.

Large trees are gorgeous and beneficial to the landscape, so saying goodbye to trees that you love can be heartbreaking. If your trees create a lot of shade, but you'd rather avoid heavy pruning or removal, you might consider using shade-tolerant carpetgrass in your yard instead — or a similar low-light loving turf plant. Grasses like fine fescue varieties and St. Augustine are great options. These grasses are lush and low-maintenance.

Moss loves acidic soil with a pH level below 6. Most turfgrasses grow well in slightly acidic to neutral soil, or a pH level of 6 to 6.5. If your soil's pH is below 6, your grass is likely stressed, and moss can take hold. First, test your soil for acidity using a store-bought testing kit or one of the many DIY methods. If you determine your soil is acidic, increase its pH with amendments like garden lime, ash, or baking soda.

A buildup of water in the soil, whether from watering or rainfall, hurts grass and invites moss. This excess moisture is often the result of poor drainage, caused by poor soil composition, compacted soil, or sloping ground. Soggy patches, yellowing grass, and soil erosion are all signs of poor drainage. You can improve your soil's drainage by aerating or amending it, or adjusting the slope of your yard.

It's difficult for turfgrass to thrive in soil that's deficient in essential nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. As your lawn struggles to grow, moss, which doesn't require fertile soil, is primed to creep in. Adopting an annual fertilization schedule is a great way to help ensure your lawn's success. How and when to fertilize your lawn depends on the type of grass you have. You should be careful not to overfertilize.

Less is more when it comes to watering your lawn. Even if your soil is well-draining, overwatering can still cause the damp conditions that moss loves. You can prevent this issue by tailoring your watering schedule to your lawn's needs. Water needs vary depending on grass type and climate, but turfgrass generally needs 1 to 1½ inches of water each week, either from manual application or rainfall. This can be done once or spread out over multiple waterings.

While the sleek, tidy look of golf course grass is attractive to many homeowners, moving your grass too low can weaken your lawn, an open invitation for weeds like moss. Cutting grass too short, often called scalping, forces it to devote a lot of energy to regrowing. This takes energy away from maintaining a strong, healthy root system. How low you should cut your grass varies by grass type, but the general rule is to cut no lower than one-third of the height of your grass.