You can store and add it gradually as other material becomes available. It can be slow to rot in large quantities, so mix it with other ingredients (ideally four times the volume of the moss). Moss raked out of lawns can be added to your compost heap. Also see our guide to plastic-free gardening. If the moss is only in a small area of the lawn, perhaps caused by shade, you could consider replacing the affected section with a more suitable alternative, such as shade-loving ground-cover plants and plants that thrive under trees. Artificial turf isn’t an effective or sustainable option, as moss can establish in this too. The best way to control excess lawn moss is to improve the growing conditions of the grass, so it becomes more vigorous and dense, outcompeting the moss. However, moss isn’t always welcome, especially if you want an all-grass lawn. It can give the turf an uneven colour and surface, and loose moss can make the lawn feel spongy under foot. Moss can also be beautiful – it’s widely used in Japanese gardens to create velvety green carpets in damp or shady areas.

Having a wide range of plants in your lawn increases its value to wildlife. Moss in a lawn isn’t necessarily a problem – if your grass is thin or patchy, moss can keep the lawn green and soft to walk on, and it creates a valuable habitat for small invertebrates. In the case of Polytrichum, it can even resemble a small forest of miniature Christmas trees. These are usually coarse, loose, green or yellowish-green tufts between the grass, but can form densely matted tufts.

There are several types of moss that grow in lawns.

Malvern Autumn Show - 22–24 September 2023.

RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show - 5–10 September 2023.

RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show - 18–20 August 2023.

RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show - 2–6 August 2023.

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park - 19–23 July 2023.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival - 4–9 July 2023.

Moss lawn download