Moss. Moss. Moss.

[swami7774]

Moss has run wild this winter, probably due to the warmer-than-normal temperatures. Two questions: when can I start pounding the lawn with pelletized limestone to adjust the PH, and why does the moss seem to grow in stripes(see pix)? I also plan to use MossEx or something similar in the spring. TIA.

[turf_toes]

Your soil ph question might be better posed in the soils and composting section.

I’d question whether you are actually seeing moss. Impossible to tell from those pics.

Most common explanation for such stripes is someone used a drop spreader for applying their late-season fertilizer. But you’d know better about that.

Diagnosing anything from forum pics is hard. I can’t tell from those pics if those light patches are your regular grass or possibly Poa.

[swami7774]

It’s moss.

[Green]

Maybe the soil is more compacted and held more moisture where the mower wheels traversed, making the environment better for less germination. Do you use a light push mower or a heavier riding mower?

[swami7774]

I use a rider(Craftsman YT3000). That’s a possibility.

[Green]

Moss germination, not "less" germination. (If germination is the right word for moss.)

[Wally]

It’s moss.

My guess is if you walk around, everybody around there has moss too. Is that area facing north?

[swami7774]

It faces west.

[MorpheusPA]

I like it. Don't bother with the limestone, it doesn't work. It temporarily kills the moss due the shifting pH (sometimes), but it comes right back.

Spray iron instead; it greens the lawn, kills the moss, and looks nice. If you even want to bother. It'll still come back.

Any compression at all can cause soil compaction and a bit of waterlogging to encourage moss. It usually fades out in spring when temperatures warm and soils dry out. That should take care of it--until next winter.

The permanent solution...well, the best thing to do is encourage grass growth. It outcompetes the moss handily. Get your soil test, follow the instructions, feed the lawn, and hope for the best. I had a lousy year in 2022 with dry weather and have a lot of damage coming into 2023.

[swami7774]

The PH test came back. Both front and rear lawns are within the limits (6.6 and 6.3). So my plan now is to aerate the lawn in early spring and feed as usual. I’ve heard about something called “Love Your Soil” which supposedly helps de-compact the soil. Has anyone here used that stuff?

[MorpheusPA]

Don't bother. If you want, use the soil soap solution we suggest (it's cheap and it works beautifully) and feed organically. That's a much more reliable--pardon the pun--solution.

Moss has nothing to do with soil compaction, either, and grasses don't care much about it unless it's extreme.

[Green]

Morph,

Do you happen have any good non-sulfur-containing moss killer recipes?

[swami7774]

Thanks for saving me lots of time, money and effort.Where can I find that soap solution?

[MorpheusPA]

Zero sulfur? Kills moss? Not as such, but a bit of sprayed ferrous sulfate isn't too bad, won't shift your soil pH (we're talking 2 oz per thousand square feet here), and isn't toxic (it's in your multivitamin, assuming they don't use ferrous glutamate or ferrous fumarate instead).

That having been said, it won't like soap. Like, at all. Again, the pH shift isn't what it likes, the soap itself breaks down the cellular wax and grease that holds the lipid layers together, and soap isn't exactly what the rudimentary roots want to be exposed to, either.

That's the soap solution that's used to loosen soils: https://aroundtheyard.com/index.php?opt ... Itemid=117

Over the years, I've adjusted this. Like, a lot. Delete the Yucca, you don't really need it. Instead of the SLS, use sodium lauryl sulfate powder, 4 to 8 oz per gallon. It's cheaper, more concentrated, and easier to handle (don't breathe it in!): https://www.makeyourown.buzz/sodium-lau ... te-powder/

Mix that into a gallon of water, then use THAT solution at 4 oz per thousand square feet or so, diluted in any convenient amount of water to apply (I usually put the 4 oz in a LOT of water to spray it to make it easy). I'd concentrate it a lot more to kill the moss, though.

[swami7774]

Given that my PH tested out normal I don’t think I have to do much to change the PH. I might just apply some pelletized limestone next month. The focus now will be removing the existing moss, which I’ve always done by using MossEx or something similar.
One thing I will do prior to fertilizing is aerating the lawn. It must be compacted pretty badly for that much moss to grow.

[MorpheusPA]

Compaction actually has nothing to do with moss growth. Free space plus moisture does--and soil is always damp during the winter simply due to low evapotranspiration rates. Low temperatures and lower amounts of sunlight equal low evaporation.

Now if you had moss in summer, on a high-standing soil, not in a significant dip, it might be compaction. Might. Even then, I wouldn't put much of a bet on it; mosses, contrary to popular opinion, don't actually need all that much water once established. I have moss on my patio in blazing sun on sand.

Also, neither the soap (slightly basic) nor the iron (slightly acidic) will have much impact--but the limestone (basic) would. Never ruin what already shows as good.

[andy10917]

Swami, I looked into your history and saw that this is not your first rodeo in dealing with moss control issues. I see a thread from 2019 and other mentions.

Have you spent real time trying to find the underlying problem that causes the recurrence of your moss problem, or just hit it when it's especially bad in a tactical manner, and moved on to other issues when you get some temporary success?

Your lawn is a prime example of what happens when you take an approach that is tactical rather than strategic -- repeated multi-year recurrences.

Moss happens under a slew of conditions (low-pH, high-pH, Shade, compaction, poor lawn care, missing nutrients, disease, drainage etc), and all of them have a common theme. That theme is that the sum-total is that the conditions are not adequate for growing grass, and moss is a very opportunistic competitor. If you don't find the root cause and fix it, you'll be rewriting this posting in 2030 and beyond.

I'm going to recommend the "diluted Dawn" dishwashing liquid solution as a first treatment to start the year on the right foot in giving the grass the TEMPORARY advantage, but I want to emphasize the fact is you will have to experiment to find the root cause for longer-term control. Merely assuming that limestone and pH is the answer is simplistic and could make the situation worse (if the pH is already high, it will make it higher). When/if you do oil test this year, make sure to make it clear that we are searching for the root-cause of a recurring moss infestation. Also, keep an eye on the lawn to see what conditions cause the moss to return first.You can start with the first Dawn treatment as soon as freezing nights become infrequent (a small error won't cause damage).

[swami7774]

Yes, Andy, this is recurring theme. From what I can find through searching the forum archives, the Dawn soap ratio is 3 oz/gallon of water, correct?
My rough plan, still in the works, is: zap the moss with the Dawn mix; when it dies, rake the moss. Then aerate, then normal feeding. In past years I haven’t always raked the moss up, but this year I’ll do it. The PH(6.5 front lawn, 6.3 rear) indicates I don’t need to mess with lime or any other PH-adjusting substances.
Thanks again for your responses.

[andy10917]

Yes - 3 oz per gallon. And Yes, at 6.3 and 6.5 it's unlikely pH is your problem - but always remember that pH is an indirect indicator.