Why does moss grow in my grass

Now, another contributing factor to weed and moss growth are compacted and bare soils. Not only should the area you would like grass to grow be full of usable nutrients and loosened soil, they should also be full of grass!

When the lawn area is taken up by grass, it leaves little or no room for other plants weeds or moss to grow. Similarly, the soil should be loose enough that the roots of the grass are easily able to penetrate and grow down into the soil. The root system of grass is less able to break through hard or compacted soil than weeds or moss so when the soil is too hard, it will prevent the grass from being able to grow, leaving these unhealthy areas available for other plants to take over that are more opportunistic.

All living things require sunlight in some form to assist their growth and health. The issue arises when the sun gets a bit too hot and our climate in Vancouver and surrounding areas gets very dry. Combined with our watering restrictions this makes for a lawn to become heat stressed.

Just like you and I, when we become stressed out, it is easier for us to become sick. For your lawn, this presents as weed and moss growth. Now, watering more during these months may not always be possible, which is why it is important that we have taught our grass roots to stretch further into the soil with our watering and mowing practices in the spring and fall.

Another contributing factor to weed and moss growth is the composition of the soil it all grows in. The soil stores water and nutrients, so many of the problems associated with growing a healthy lawn are directly related to the soil. His land has not been taken care of for several decades previous homeowners gave up on it.

We have a good-for-shade fine fescue blend that we think will grow well for him. I quickly typed in the question and your comments came up, among others.

Your comment went immediately to the problem; I even read a sentence or two to our customer and gave him your URL. This was very helpful! I switched to a national service company and things got worse, so after a year I let them go!

Thanks again! Press here to subscribe. Garden Myths - Learn the truth about gardening. If you like this post, please share This entry is filed under Lawn , Soil and tagged lawn , moss. March 10, at am. Judith Mullett says:. February 27, at pm. January 16, at pm. Robert Pavlis says:. Ileene Watkins says:. October 26, at pm. Patience Gully says:. July 26, at pm. With a little care and attention, you can turn a mossy lawn into beautiful green turf to be proud of.

Weedkillers are manufactured according to very strict rules and regulations, and each will differ depending on their How to get rid of moss in lawns Moss in lawns is a sign that there is an underlying problem with the lawn. This can be caused by any of several factors, including: Poor drainage Shade Lack of fertiliser Grass cut too short Heavy foot traffic Feathery, fern-like mosses are most common in poorly drained areas. Related products. Find a store. Buy now. Related articles. Moss Mosses are simple plants that can grow just about anywhere, and on anything.

Hence, moss develops and grows on top of these roots. When lawns are not watered deeply, the finer and even microscopic feeder roots of the tree can move upwards into the topsoil and compete with the grass for both water and space. This weakens the grass and permits moss to come in. This also can happen around shrubs that border the lawn, especially evergreens. Poor mowing, mostly too short, can cause your lawn to change from one grass type to a less desirable type.

In cases of very short mowing, or even scalping, no grass can survive. Usually you end up with low growing weeds or moss. The short grass does not allow food production photosynthesis and has no chance for survival. Very Acidic or Very Alkaline Soil. As mentioned above, this is not the major cause of moss on most lawns. In extreme acid or alkaline conditions nutrients will lock up and become unavailable to the grass. This causes unhealthy grass and allows moss to fill in.

If the pH of your lawn is extremely low you can balance it with Liquid Lime. If too high, take a look at our Liquid Sulfur. We provide professional advice as well as high quality, easy to use, DIY products for natural lawn and garden care, for customers all over North America.