Show moss who’s boss
Moss might look charming draped over woodland rocks or nestled in shady forest corners, but when it creeps into your lawn, it quickly becomes less enchanting. For many homeowners, moss is more than just a nuisance—it’s a sign that something isn’t quite right beneath the surface.
If you’ve spotted moss patches in your grass, you’re not alone. Moss thrives in damp, compacted, or poorly maintained lawns, and once it takes hold, it can outcompete your grass for space and nutrients. But don’t worry—moss isn’t unbeatable.
In this blog, we’ll uncover what moss really is, why it shows up in lawns, and most importantly, how you can prevent and treat it effectively. From understanding the causes to learning how GreenThumb's expert treatments can help, you'll be fully equipped to take back control and restore your lawn to lush, green health.
Author
Jade Ivory
Reviewed By
Leanne Lewis
Updated: 12/8/2025
Published: 12/11/2023
Take Control of Moss
Moss will find its way onto roofs, walls, pavements, rocks, and even the bottom of lakes and ponds, not to mention our lawns. While it can be beautiful in certain settings, like cloaking a forest floor or hugging a tree, the small flowerless plants lose their appeal when they invade less desirable spaces, such as our gardens and lawns.
If you’re wondering why moss is growing in your lawn, it’s usually a sign of underlying issues. Moss thrives in areas with compacted soil or poor drainage and will compete with your grass for growing space. If your lawn care isn’t up to scratch, moss can easily take over, leaving your lawn struggling.
Opinions about moss vary—some people love it, while others loathe it. However, for those who want a thriving lawn, moss can be problematic.
It’s essential to maintain good lawn care to keep moss at bay.
What is Moss?
There are over 10,000 different moss species in the world, and the UK is home to 600 of them. Most are found in natural areas but there are several different types that can grow in our lawns.
Moss is a non-flowering plant that produce spores and have stems and leaves, but don’t have true roots. Moss is attached to the surfaces from which they grow by tiny structures called rhizoids.
Moisture is essential to moss survival, and it thrives in damp/shady conditions.
Moss is considered a nuisance and a weed due to its negative impact to lawns; and if left to spread, can take over the grass.
Though moss spreads easily and can grow on all soil types, its presence doesn’t mean a lawn is doomed. Moss can be eradicated/prevented if the conditions favourable to its growth are removed.
What causes moss in lawns and how to combat it?
Excess thatch
Our lawns naturally build up a layer of dead grass, roots and other matter which is known as thatch. Unfortunately, thatch creates an environment on your lawn which moss cannot resist. The best way to combat thatch is for us to carry out Aeration and Scarification. These processes help to reduce both surface thatch and below the surface thatch, relieving your lawn of thatch and subsequently moss.
Moisture
A main cause of moss is the retention of water on the surface of the lawn. Moss thrives in wet soils with poor surface drainage, commonly caused by soil compaction. Aeration is the best way to treat this. It creates open spaces in the soil, greatly assisting drainage and prevents waterlogged conditions on the lawn surface.
Shade
Too much shade creates moss-loving conditions, especially beneath trees/under debris on the lawn such as leaves. You need to allow as much sunlight to reach your grass as possible, so it’s important to cut back overhanging branches, shrubs etc. Along with cleaning up any fallen leaves that cover your lawn as they form a barrier that blocks out sunlight and air, making it a perfect place for moss to thrive.
Mowing
If you scalp your lawn, this allows moss to take over. A scalped lawn weakens the grass plant and makes it more vulnerable to moss invasion. We recommend to never cut your lawn less than 1’’ in height.
Poor Lawn Care
Good lawn care is essential to maintaining a healthy, moss-free lawn. An unhealthy lawn will struggle to compete with moss. For your lawn to maintain optimum health, it needs regular feeding. Our nutrient and micronutrient-rich feed encourage a much stronger-lawn which allows the grass to compete better with moss.
Why is lawn moss a problem?
- Grass has to compete with moss for growing space.
- If untreated, moss will die off in summer (due to low moisture levels) but leave unsightly bald patches.
- Roots less able to receive essential water and nutrients.
- Uneven colour and surface – lawn is spongy underfoot.
- Moss can cause soil erosion by providing surface cover and absorbing water.
- Moss creates a locally humid environment and in turn, a home for invertebrates such as slugs.
Some birds tug moss from lawns, hoping to find tasty creatures underneath – causing patches and also encouraging the spread of moss in other parts of the lawn.
How can GreenThumb help?
A good lawn maintenance programme is essential in managing and removing moss. Simply raking out/removing moss will not prevent regrowth unless the conditions favourable to its growth are changed.
All your treatments throughout the year will have contributed greatly to a long-lasting, beautiful lawn, even throughout winter.
Our NutraGreen Autumn Long Treatment not only helps manage moss but also improves lawn strength by being rich in iron, which makes your grass greener and better able to cope with adverse conditions.
Our Grass Treatment for Moss works by effectively controlling moss growth while boosting the health of your lawn. Iron-rich moss control for lawns is especially beneficial, as it dehydrates any moss present, slowing its growth and preventing further spread. Over time, this moss control for lawns ensures that your lawn becomes thicker and more resistant to the growth of moss.
Once the moss has been treated, it will begin to dehydrate, turning black in the process. This makes it easier to remove moss from your lawn, leaving your grass to flourish without the competition for nutrients. Proper moss treatment not only tackles existing moss but also helps prevent it from reappearing, leading to a healthier and more vibrant lawn throughout the year.
If you're dealing with moss in your lawn, consider moss treatment for lawns to promote strong, green grass while effectively managing moss growth.
Should I Rake Out Moss Myself or Leave It to Professionals?
It’s a common question we hear:
“Can I just rake the moss out myself?”
The short answer is: yes, you can rake moss out, but for long-lasting results, professional treatment is the key.
Raking can be a helpful short-term fix, especially for surface-level moss. It removes the visible problem and can improve lawn appearance temporarily. However, raking doesn’t treat the underlying cause—meaning moss will likely return if the conditions that allowed it to thrive remain unchanged.
Professionals, like GreenThumb, not only remove moss safely but also treat the root cause, such as excess thatch, poor drainage, or nutrient deficiencies. We use targeted treatments, like iron-rich moss control products, followed by professional aeration and scarification when needed, to stop moss from coming back and to give your lawn the best chance to recover and thrive.
Think of raking as first aid, and professional care as a long-term health plan for your lawn.
Take Back Control from Moss — Starting Today.
Don’t let moss take over your lawn. Whether it's creeping in from shaded patches or thriving in damp soil, GreenThumb has the treatments and expert advice you need to restore a lush, healthy lawn.
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