Let me give you the bad news up front: There is no quick and easy solution for permanently getting moss out of your lawn. Stores carry products that will kill it in the short term. If you want to win the war, you’ll need to change the growing conditions that make moss feel so welcome in your yard.
Moss likes cool and wet and shade. It knows it has found home sweet home when it encounters those conditions plus hard, compacted soil that doesn’t drain well or soil with high acidity. The grass can’t help you fight off moss if it’s not growing vigorously.
If you’re really serious about moss removal, you’ll need to take time-consuming steps (http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense/). You’ll need to get a soil test from a lab so you can correct the soil pH if needed. The county extension office can recommend a lab. You’ll need to prune back or remove shrubs and trees to get sun into the yard. You’ll need to correct poorly draining and compacted soil. Fixing the drainage involves rebuilding or adding a drainage system, aerating and then top-dressing with a good soil mix.
I want to suggest an alternative: Make peace with the moss. End the turf war. As one gardener told me, “It’s green and soft so what’s the problem.”
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