Drought – unirrigated lawns can go dormant and thin out during the summer months.Low fertility, thin turf – a lawn that is deficient in nutrients will not grow as vigorously and can thin out, giving the moss an advantage.In addition, the roots of the grass plants can have trouble growing properly in compacted soils. Soil Compaction – compacted soils reduce drainage.Over watering a lawn can also cause this condition. Poor Drainage – when the soil is too wet, the area around the roots can stay soggy which inhibits healthy root growth of turf grass.Soil acidity – Under acidic soil conditions (below pH 6.0) turf grass growth suffers and nutrients are less available for turf growth.Since moss does not depend on the sunlight for ‘food’ it can get established in the densest shade. Filtered light can support good lawn growth if enough light is getting through. Shade – a healthy turf requires several hours of direct sunlight each day.

Moss can be present when the lawn is stressed by one or more of these common problems:.Site conditions that favor moss are usually poor for healthy grass growth.Moss is a symptom of lawn problems, not a cause of them!.Moss can be found virtually anywhere, even in full sun if enough moisture is present.They are not dependent on sunlight for photosynthesis as turf grasses are. They are able to manufacture their own food.Mosses reproduce from spores or vegetative parts.Mosses have no roots, just root-like stem extensions underground which must be close to a source of moisture.Mosses are plants, but are not vascular plants, which means they have no system for carrying water from the soil to other parts of the plant.Download this page in PDF I Have Moss in My Lawn – What is it?

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