Moss Control

Like most weeds, moss is an opportunistic weed that generally takes advantage and persists in thin, weak and bare areas of a home lawn. Encroachment or infestations of moss in home lawns are typically the result of several unfavourable growing conditions that otherwise promote the growth and development of moss and not the desired turfgrasses.

Some of these unfavourable conditions include:

• - Poor Soil Drainage
• - Excessive Shade
• - Compacted soils
• - Acidic soil pH conditions
• - Inadequate fertility
• - Thatch accumulation
• - Drought
• - Diseases
• - Unsustainable turfgrass species
• - Improper mowing and Irrigation practices

Improving these unfavourable conditions helps encourage healthier turgrass growth and makes it much more difficult for moss to encroach and infest areas of the lawn that are thick and growing vigorously. Moss infestations can also be eliminated and controlled using a combination of aggressive cultural practices and control products. Moss control products containing ferrous sulfate, ammonium sulfate, and copper sulfate are effective controlling moss in lawns. Although the control products will kill the moss, this however will only be temporary if the underlying unfavorable conditions are not improved. Typically, the moss dehydrates and dies turning brownish/black in colour. The dead moss must then be raked out and removed from the lawn before aggressively renovating these bare areas with cultural practices such as Slit-seeding, overseeding, topdressing, and core aeration.