Managing Moss In Your Lawn

After months of winter snow and spring rains in Spokane you are likely to have some invading moss thriving in your lawn. There are many other causes for potential moss problems like excessive shade, compacted soils, poorly drained soils, low fertility, and poor air circulation. Unbalanced PH levels in your soil can also lead to moss growth which can be balanced with lime or sulfur treatments. Luckly in the Spokane area our soils are typically balanced around 6.7 and normally don't need these added supplements like other areas. Ferrous ammonium sulfate or ferric sulfate (iron sulfate) can be used to control moss to a good extent. With these treatments the moss will temporarly burn away, but tends to return fairly quickly.

Iron treatments along with our Lush Lawn program can greatly reduce moss problems and overall health and appearance. Raking out the moss is another option, usually followed by reseeding.

Changing site conditions like pruning surrounding trees and shrubs can help light penetration and reduce heavy shade to lawn areas.

Keeping your lawn healthly with proper mowing and adequate nutrient programs (particularly nitrogen based) will help keep the lawn thicker and more resistant to weeds and moss growth. Excessively short mowing may be a source of the moss problems. Mowing frequently at 3-3.5 inches is ideal for most cool season grasses. Also avoid excessive watering, as this can also contribute to moss. Water deeply and infrequently as possible so water can reach deep into roots but have time to dry out slightly between waterings.

If you find yourself needing a helping hand with moss control and overall lawn health, give Lush Spray Service a call, we have lawn programs designed for our area with nutrients and weed control in mind. We offer multiple Moss control options including iron treatments which help reduce moss and give you an added benefit of nice dark green color.