Moss in the lawn: how to spot and prevent it disorder
How do you spot moss in the lawn?
Moss fills the space the grass does not hold: in shade, on trodden and bare spots, on compacted and acid soil and wherever water stands. The moss is not the cause but the consequence, and it tells you why the grass is weak.
How do you prevent moss in the lawn?
Do not mow too short. Cut back neighbouring trees and shrubs to reduce the shade. Aerate compacted soil and overseed it. On acid soil lime after a soil test. In shade use a mixture that takes shade.
What works against moss in the lawn?
Scarify with a rake or a machine while the grass is still growing strongly, which in a temperate climate means September into early October. Otherwise the open spots do not close up. A synthetic moss killer is not needed, because the non-chemical measures are enough.
Where does moss in the lawn show up? 1
Lawn 1
Sources: Royal Horticultural Society
Checked on 17 August 2026.