The method to remove moss from lawns sometimes causes lawn grass with it. This is because of less precision in moss removal methods and a lack of knowledge of herbicides and manual weed killers.
Moss creates a slippery surface over lawn grass and covers the grass spaces quickly. For common lawn grass lovers, it is very bad to have moss on the lawn. Still, it has some good landscape purpose scopes but not in regular lawns. To remove lawn moss, you should better know the causes of developing moss first. Even though once you remove lawn moss, it doesn't go for all. You should either prevent its growing conditions or it will grow again.
Don't worry, I'll give you all the details of lawn moss and the method to remove it without killing lawn grass.
Lawn moss removal and prevention
In the early stages, moss can be removed and reduced manually with easy methods but in a mature moss lawn, you need several moss-killer herbicides and a raking tool to remove it.
But before that, I will suggest you know the common causes of lawn moss and how it develops without any discomfort.
Causes of lawn moss
- Overmoisture and no-drainage
The very common cause of developing moss is overmoisture for a long time and no drainage in the lawn for a long time. Without drainage, moss starts to develop and cover the areas where moisture is maximum and then move on further. Compacted soil, no drainage, and overmoisture for a long time are highly favorable for moss in lawns.
- Too much shade in the daytime
More than 2 to 3 hours of full shade is bad for the lawn in the daytime if you have a lawn in a cool region. This full shade environment can cause moss in the lawn if it keeps shading lawn spaces for a long time during the daytime. Although it doesn't affect the lawn much in summer winter and rainy seasons, there are chances high that moss can develop in a shady environment.
- Strong acidic soil
A good soil that is shifting its pH towards strong acidic nature, can be helpful for moss to develop in the lawn.
Generally, it is seen that most develop mostly in acidic soil either in a cool climate or a warm climate you're lawn in.
Requirements to remove and prevent lawn moss
Materials required
- Moss removing herbicides
- Organic moss killers
- Wood ash
Tools required
- Long handle rake
- Non-slippery boots
- Gloves
- Long handle spraying bottle
Method of removing moss
Well, there are multiple methods to remove moss from lawns but I'll mention here the precise methods. One of these methods is to kill the remove the dead cells of moss and another one restricts the moss and applies prevention after.
Direct treatment
Step 1- Mark the moss space in the lawn
First, mark the moss affected areas but don't ignore where moss is least developed or start developing. Include the minor affected areas with different marks so you can treat them as well.
Step 2- Check the soil pH
Now, take an affected area soil sample to check the soil pH. If it is acidic and <5 on the pH scale then you need organic or natural soil neutralizer later. If the soil is not strongly acidic and remains between 6 to 7 on the pH scale, then don't worry much in that case.
Step 3- Prepare organic weed removals
Wear your safety gloves, glasses, and non-slipping boots. Now, you have to prepare weed-removing solutions or herbicides to use on the affected areas if the soil is not too acidic. Fill the organic moss-removing solution in a spraying bottle pipe. Spray on the affected areas carefully and precisely.
Step 5- Remove the dead moss
After a couple of hours, moss will start to lose its tissues and start getting dry and will die in the end. In a day or two, if you use quality weed removal to kill moss, then it will work within 2 days.
Finally, remove the dead moss from the long handle rake, collect it, and clean the lawn from dead moss. Don't use this dead moss to make organic compost, pasture, or anywhere else because of harmful weed killers.
Step 6- Avoid the moss-developing conditions
After removing all the moss, you just need to follow the basics of preventing moss from lawns that I've discussed in the end.
Manual raking and removing
Step 1- Mark the moss space
Mark the moss affected areas in your lawn. Don't ignore the least affected or moss with grass in the same ratio of areas.
Step 2- Remove the moss directly with a rake
Now, take the long-handle metal rake tool to remove the moss directly from the ground. Apply this method to the entire affected areas in your lawn. Collect the moss when you remove from the entire lawn and don't use it further either in the pasture or making compost.
Step 3- Check the soil pH of the affected areas
Now, check your soil pH in the entire lawn(don't ignore non-affected areas of moss). It will be either <5 or between 5 to 7 on the pH scale. In too acidic conditions, you can use ash composting in lawns to neutralize the soil pH.
Step 4- Use wood ash composting
After removing the moss, and inspecting the soil pH, you need a soil neutralizer to keep the soil pH better for lawn grass. For that, you can use a thin layer of wood ash composting. Just mix it with the lawn soil directly and leave it for some time. Then treat your lawn soil as you do to grow lawn grass again.
How to prevent further moss growth?
Without prevention, any diseases, fungi, and infections can attack the lawn grass. Although in ideal growing conditions it doesn't happen normally in practical ground situations, lawn moss is quite common. So I've some tips for you to avoid and prevent the conditions in which lawn moss develops-
- Either make the lawn sloppy or install proper drainage in the lawn. Don't ignore drainage of the lawn because it is the reason for overmoisture and moss in the lawn.
- Trim and prune your lawn shrubs and trees to avoid any shade during the daytime in the lawn. Don't cut them completely but at least trim their twigs for less shade.
- Aerate and dethatch your lawn every year to avoid any less drainage and compacted soil. Do it either in spring or late summer if possible.
- Don't irrigate your lawn regularly from mid-fall to late winter and frost otherwise, it can create moss-growing conditions in the lawn.