The best way to tackle moss is to consider what conditions in and around your soil make it the perfect environment for moss to thrive in. Generally speaking, moss exists where the conditions are anything but good for turf. Compact soil, low fertility, soil acidity, excess moisture with bad drainage, inadequate soil depth and deep shade are all possible reasons why you may be growing moss instead of turf. The trick to keeping moss away is by promoting a healthy lawn [12].
Start by testing and correcting your soil’s pH, either by purchasing an inexpensive soil testing kit at your local garden center, or consulting with your nearby extension service. Correct acidic soil with lime to raise the pH, which will help provide an environment that moss does not like. Do not apply more than 40 lbs. pellet lime per 1000 square feet. Also, moss loves shady areas, so it’s a good idea to trim lower limbs off trees, measuring from the ground to 10 feet up for more sun exposure to your lawn. Planting Pearl’s Premium Shady Mix in areas that have deep shade will help keep moss away.
Be sure to core aerate your lawn at least every two years so that grass roots have room to grow and better access to air and water. Use organic fertilizer in the spring and again in the fall. There are a variety of organic granular fertilizer choices available now which can be easily applied using a walk-behind or ride-on spreader. Or apply a small amount of organic compost once a year for a slow release of essential nutrients to feed the lawn, remineralize the soil, and stimulate a diversity of microorganisms. Check online or ask your local garden center where to get good organic compost.
Removing surface moss is not that difficult. Using a steel rake and pushing moss back away from you, it can be pulled up quite easily. Since it has no deep roots, it just peels back like rolling up a rug.
Strong lawns choke out weeds. Although it is better to overseed in the fall when weeds are dormant, planting a Pearl’s Premium lawn in the spring when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees, will give you a head start on weeds that like to germinate when soil temperatures hit 70 degrees. By that time, your eco-friendly, water-saving Pearl’s Premium lawn will be well on the way to providing enough shade to keep the sun from reaching weed seeds, preventing them from germinating. As the summer progresses, you’ll have a thick and healthy lawn that if you mow 3 ½ to 4 inches tall, will have very few if any weeds. Another option, if you have a really bad lawn is to consider using an organic weed and grass killer such as Burnout II (now called Captain Jack's Deadweed Brew) to kill off your lawn and start from scratch.
Alternatively, if you are planting when temperatures are hotter, you can hydroseed [13]. Our new Pearl’s Premium 7th generation seeds have an all natural, 100% beneficial coating to hold 400 times the water surrounding the seed for 12 to 18 hours, ensuring higher sprouting, establishment and survival rate. Additionally, we offer a product on our website called Hydretain [14] which helps hold water in the soil, allowing for 50% less watering while establishing your lawn in hot weather.
Go to our website at www.PearlsPremium.com [15] for in depth instructions on how to plant a Pearl’s Premium lawn and keep it healthy. You’ll soon be enjoying a lush, barefoot-soft, moss-free Pearl’s Premium Ultra Low Maintenance Lawn that you will water 75% less, mow only once a month instead of once a week, and never use chemicals!