Moss Control

Before you attempt to deal with moss that’s growing on your lawn, you must identify why it is growing and tackle that underlying cause in order to prevent the moss from returning. Most moss killers sold in shops are totally unable to do this, so it’s far better to call in the moss control specialists from Profession Lawn Services.

Moss does not have roots, instead obtaining its nutrients from the moisture sitting on the soil. It is probably the single biggest problem for lawns in the UK, but the good news is that moss is easy to kill, especially with the highly effective moss control products that we use.

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Dealing with dead moss

Dead moss is fibrous, and unlike dead weeds (which are mostly made up of water), it will not just wither and shrivel away once killed. Instead, it turns into thatch – which does not decompose

Dead moss must be raked and removed from the lawn, and heavy moss may require scarifying or verti-cutting. If dead moss is allowed to stay on the lawn and turn to thatch, it will stop moisture from reaching the grass roots where it is needed. Thatch also creates damp conditions that are ideal for allowing more moss to develop.

Lawns should not be raked / scarified without applying moss control first. You can end up simply spreading the moss spores and making things worse. Be sure to call in an expert to take care of your dead moss for you.

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Prevent future moss growth

In order to stop moss from reappearing in your garden, you will need to identify and address the underlying cause. Here are some conditions that can encourage moss to grow:

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• Warm, moist weather conditions 

• Compacted, poorly-drained soil – Heavy soils will become compacted and need to be hollow-tine aerated to reduce the effects of the compaction. Once every 2-3 years, soil can also be top dressed with a 70% sand loam mix to improve soil ventilation.

• Lawns thick with thatch – As mentioned above, excessive thatch can create damp conditions that are ideal for moss.

• Scalping / cutting the grass too short – This significantly reduces the health of the grass, weakening it and allowing moss to move in.

• Not watering the grass in the dry summer months – Again, this can weaken the grass and make it vulnerable to moss.

• Clay-based soils 

• Shaded or poorly-ventilated lawns – This can make it difficult for grass and soil to properly dry out.

• Poorly-fertilised lawns with weak and spare grass – Moss is often present on such lawns.