What is the cause of moss in a lawn?
There are a few reasons listed below along with some specific suggestions on how to address each of these moss causes. Poor Drainage • Moss likes moist conditions (it is 90% water itself) and so a poorly drained lawn can be an issue. • The solution for light to medium drainage problems is to aerate your lawn. This is discussed in our article on lawn aeration. For more serious water problems you may have to think of installing a better water run-off or underground drainage system. Compacted Soil • If the ground is too hard then grass may have difficulty in growing/spreading and the moss can take over. • Again the solution is to carry out a form of aeration that will reduce the compaction of the soil, such as hollow tined forking or lifting the turf very slightly with a solid tine. Too much thatch • Thatch, a layer of plant material below the visible grass blades keeps a lot of moisture in. If the thatch is too thick (>1cm) it can encourage moss growth. • The solution here is to scarify
