Moss is a common issue in lawns and when conditions are dark and damp, gardeners may notice moss appear on their patios.

Moss can grow in almost any type of soil and, if left to spread, it can quickly overtake your grass, forming dense, irregular spongy mats. 

Not only does moss ruin the aesthetic appearance of your lawn, but it also negatively impacts the health of your grass. 

Moss suffocates the grass by competing for growing space and prevents essential water and nutrients from reaching the grass roots by absorbing them on the surface. 

Additionally, as the UK approaches the dryer months moss will die, but leave behind unsightly bald patches on your lawn.

After writing about lawn moss on his gardening website The Relentless Gardener, Matt Adams, founder and lawn care professional with over 10 years of experience in the industry, was asked by readers how to “organically” get rid of moss.

He claimed that the best natural method is to use baking soda and that it works like “magic”.

Matt said: “The easiest way to kill moss naturally is with a mixture of three tablespoons of baking soda to one litre of water. 

“Use gloves as you make this in a jug or spray bottle. Then apply to the moss and wait for a short time for the magic to happen.”

Baking soda is an eco-friendly and simple solution to kill moss. It works by increasing pH levels, which are detrimental to moss growth.

However, it’s worth testing out a small section of moss first, spraying a single affected area. 

Wait one hour to check for any unexpected reactions and if all looks well, you're ready to treat the moss.

Try not to spray other plants or grass in the area, as the mixture could damage them.

Once the moss is dead, you’ll want to rake it all out. If you have a lawn over 50 square meters, Matt said: “I highly recommend investing in a scarifier. You can pick them up from many different places and they don’t need to cost the earth.”

So how do you prevent moss from returning? Simply by maintaining your lawn all year round, you can “help prevent the worst of the moss coming back”. 

This is done initially with an autumn fertiliser, which gives the grass good root growth but not so much top growth.

Gardeners should then apply a winter fertiliser, which will contain a good amount of Iron to ward off moss.