How To Get Rid of Moss in Your Lawn
Get a quote from local lawn care experts
Clicking “Get Your Estimate” submits your data to Home Service Quotes, which will process your data in accordance with the Home Service Quotes Privacy Policy.
Advertiser Disclosure
While moss isn’t actually detrimental to your grass, some homeowners may not want moss to overtake their yard. Getting rid of moss is relatively simple, but takes several steps—and discovering just why it finds your lawn so hospitable is key.
In this guide, you’ll learn what you need to know about getting rid of moss in your lawn and how to prevent moss from coming back.
What is Moss?
Moss is a flowerless, ancient plant that often grows in dense clumps or mats. It doesn’t have true roots and it isn’t actually detrimental to your grass. In fact, some people incorporate moss into their lawns on purpose.
However, the presence of moss could indicate that your lawn is struggling. Common causes for lawn moss include issues like excessive shade or soil problems—it can be compacted, have low soil pH, or poor drainage. While grasses suffer in these conditions, moss thrives. So even though moss won’t kill your grass, the conditions that support its growth can.
Getting Rid of Moss in Your Lawn Naturally
Moss isn’t like other weeds, so traditional weed killers won’t be effective against it. The most common way to get rid of moss naturally is by using dish soap. The best time to kill moss is when it’s actively growing, in late spring to early summer or late summer to early fall.
Getting Rid of Moss in Your Lawn With Chemicals
The two most common ingredients in moss-killing chemicals are iron sulfate and glyphosate. Iron sulfate will start damaging moss in a matter of hours and effectively kill it within two days. This ingredient is commonly found in fertilizers and won’t harm your lawn’s grass.
Glyphosate, on the other hand, is non-selective and will kill both the moss and grass it comes into contact with.
How To Prevent Moss
If you want to prevent moss from taking up residence, make your lawn less hospitable to the weed. The best way to do this is by resolving the issues that may have led to the moss in the first place.
Top Recommended Lawn Care Provider
TruGreen does not specifically treat moss, but it can decrease your chance of getting moss in the first place with practices like proper aeration and fertilization. The lawn care company offers five annual programs and a variety of a la carte services in every state except for Alaska. To get a free quote, call 866-817-2287 or fill out this easy form.
Our Conclusion
You can keep your lawn moss-free by addressing the factors that allow moss to grow. Grow the right grass for the amount of shade your lawn receives each day, check your soil pH, and fix problems with drainage or soil compaction. While moss won’t harm your grass, you can get rid of it with a solution of dish soap and water and keep your lawn moss-free with preventative measures.
FAQ About Getting Rid of Moss in Your Lawn
How do I get rid of moss in my lawn naturally?
You can get rid of moss naturally by using a solution of water and dish soap, or by raking it up if there’s just a small patch.
Why do I have so much moss in my lawn?
If you have a lot of moss in your lawn, the likely culprits are excessive shade, poor soil drainage, soil compaction, or a low soil pH.
Will lime kill moss?
Lime will not kill moss, but it will make the soil more alkaline, helping to prevent moss in the future.
Is it bad to have moss in your lawn?
It’s not necessarily bad to have moss in your lawn. Moss will not kill your grass, but it does indicate that your lawn has some issues that need correcting.
Our Rating Methodology
Our backs up our lawn recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. We review lawn care plans and packages, navigate the provider website and speak with customer service representatives, request quotes, and analyze customer reviews for each provider. We then score the provider against our review standards for plan options, additional benefits and customizability, availability, trustworthiness, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.