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Lawn Moss Control and Ground Cover Tips for Shade

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Moss

Almost every day I receive questions from our blog visitors about a specific question they have about their lawn and tree care. This week, we received an excellent question about controlling moss and other types for ground cover. "Hi, I live in southwest Pennsylvania. My yard has a lot of moss. The backyard is almost completely shaded by white oaks. I plan to apply a moss control. I also want to treat the yard with a granular lime, weed and feed and treat for crabgrass. What order and how far apart can I apply these? Thank you!" Dear Reader, Thank you for sending in your question. This is the order of applications: lawn moss control, lime and the weed and feed with crabgrass preventer. I would suggest waiting a week between the moss control and other applications. The lime, fertilizer and weed controls can all be applied at the same time. I have some questions for you:
  1. If the area is very shady, the chance of getting crabgrass in the area is very small. Was there crabgrass present in the area last year? If not, there is really no reason to apply the product. Be sure to mow high, 2.5 to 3 inches, and crabgrass will be less of an issue anywhere in your lawn.
  2. Do you plan to try and reseed the area under the trees? If moss is the only thing that will grow, then I suggest you switch to a ground cover for shade, such as vinca, ajuga or pachysanchra. That's because most grasses don't grow well in shady areas. Mulch will also be a good idea. The oaks will appreciate the benefits of decomposing mulch.
  3. Have you ever had your soil tested for pH and nutrient levels? Most county extension services offer this service for a nominal fee. It would be a good idea to do so and correct for deficiencies based on the results. Another thing that will help is core aeration. It may not help much in the shady areas, but the more open, sunny areas of your lawn will benefit from core aeration.
I hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to contact me or your neighborhood Spring-Green with any additional questions. Learn more about: Moss Control.