Lawn People - I need advice

[Guard Dad]

Moss is going crazy in parts of my yard and it's smothering out the grass. How do I get rid of it, preferably without killing the grass?

I thank thee in advance

 

[BeatBoxinGranny47]

Is there too much moisture or shade? Those are usually the causes of moss around here. Have you had your lawn aerated? I'm not an expert but I read alot and am trying to get licensed in lawn and ornamental.

 

[Guard Dad]

Is there too much moisture or shade? Those are usually the causes of moss around here. Have you had your lawn aerated? I'm not an expert but I read alot and am trying to get licensed in lawn and ornamental.

I think I probably caused it last year by over-watering. The area I'm concerned with is around my pool. I reseeded it and thought I was being smart by connecting some water hoses and sprinklers to a timer to water every day.

 

[mei lan]

I hear liming it once every few years will get rid of it, but it hasn't helped mine. Bottom line what I've learned (from Walter Reeves, et al) is that too much moisture and too much shade is the problem. Let me know if you figure out the magic bullet. I do core aeration, too, and it hasn't helped at all.

 

[Foxmeister]

http://www.squidoo.com/rid-of-moss

 

[naturegirl]

My guess is if moss is growing, grass won't do too good. You can rid youself of the moss and plant grass but eventually the grass will become thinner and die out. What's wrong with moss?? It's green, it's soft and it doesn't need to be mowed. I like mine, it's like outdoor carpet. ;D

 

[Guard Dad]

Moss is just not the look I want around the pool. I put a lot for work into sewing grass there last fall.

Thanks for the link Gary, it confirmed what I feared. I'm gonna have to rent a dethatcher and just scrape it up. Hopefully I can do that without damaging too much of the grass. At least it's he right time of the year to do it.

 

[Foxmeister]

Your grass will be ok while you use the dethatcher as the grass will be rooted deeper than the moss. Most likely, it was the over watering of the grass seed that caused the moss to grow. If you put new seed down, cover the area with wheat straw and water it. The straw will keep the sun from burning out the seed, the birds from eating it, and the soil for the roots moist. You should only have to water it once a day at the most.

 

[mei lan]

Moss is just not the look I want around the pool. I put a lot for work into sewing grass there last fall.

Did you do it by hand, or did you use a sewing machine?

 

[Guard Dad]

Moss is just not the look I want around the pool. I put a lot for work into sewing grass there last fall.

Did you do it by hand, or did you use a sewing machine?

 

[Callahan]

I have mole crickets killing my grass. I'd love to have moss issues instead. Want to trade?

 

[honeybunny]

My guess is if moss is growing, grass won't do too good. You can rid youself of the moss and plant grass but eventually the grass will become thinner and die out. What's wrong with moss?? It's green, it's soft and it doesn't need to be mowed. I like mine, it's like outdoor carpet. ;D

Our entire side yard is moss covered and I love walking around barefoot on the cool green carpet.
I wish I could get my moss carpet to grow all around house and cover up that big stupid grass lawn.

 

[BeatBoxinGranny47]

I have mole crickets killing my grass. I'd love to have moss issues instead. Want to trade?

Mole Crickets are easy. Just get some Bifenthrin granules and water them in or get a Bifen product that can be sprayed on the yard.

 

[Callahan]

I have mole crickets killing my grass. I'd love to have moss issues instead. Want to trade?

Mole Crickets are easy. Just get some Bifenthrin granules and water them in or get a Bifen product that can be sprayed on the yard.

Thanks, bud. I had never heard of them and a friend took one look at my back yard and said "mole crickets". I said WTH? I want them dead as they can get. It is going to be a banner year for fire ants here, too.

 

[unionmom]

 

[BeatBoxinGranny47]

That works too.

 

[Guard Dad]

Ha! Don't think I haven't thought about it.

It's been a real pain. After we had the area redone, the grass came up and looked great. Then the floor collapsed in the utility room, and we used my tractor to haul off the materials from tearing the old one out, which tore up the yard. It was too late in the season to get it established, so I worked my butt off on it this past fall and was looking great. But I guess I over-watered and the moss exploded.

I'll be renting a dethatcher this Saturday to scrape it all up.