Moss lawn: how to grow it intentionally

Moss does not grow where grass does well. This is the fundamental truth of moss lawn establishment: moss is not a replacement for grass on sunny, well-drained, fertile soil -- it is a replacement for grass in the places where grass has already failed, or where the conditions for grass were never.

Moss does not grow where grass does well. This is the fundamental truth of moss lawn establishment: moss is not a replacement for grass on sunny, well-drained, fertile soil — it is a replacement for grass in the places where grass has already failed, or where the conditions for grass were never adequate.

The homeowners who struggle to grow moss are trying to force it onto inappropriate sites. The homeowners who succeed are those who accept moss where conditions have already invited it and work with those conditions rather than against them.

What mosses are used in lawn settings

Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, lawn mosses are primarily from several genera:

• Dicranum (broom mosses): Upright growth, feathery texture; tolerates some direct sun if moisture is adequate
• Thuidium (fern moss): Low spreading; excellent in deep shade with moisture
• Polytrichum (haircap moss): Upright, 3—6 inches; more sun-tolerant than most mosses; tolerates drier soil
• Hypnum (sheet moss): Flat, creeping; excellent for carpeting under trees
• Leucobryum (cushion moss): Pale gray-green cushions; good for dry shade

Per North Carolina State Extension, specific species selection should be based on the existing moss already growing naturally in your region — what grows naturally on your site is the best indicator of what will succeed.